Solstice
by Calm-Waters
Summary: During one of the Squads many out-postings, looking for fractals, Reptil finds a girl- fighting for her life with Doom-bots. Who is this strange girl? How come Doom-Bots were after her? Well read and FIND OUT
1. Solstice

_**Disclaimer; I do not own the SHSS or any characters, and I know that Reptil's real name (in the comic book) is Humberto, but I'm making it cooler and saying it is Anthony. That's the dude's name that does his voice. If you want you can say that his middle name is Humberto, if you want. I personally say so, because I don't want to really change what the people did. And get complaints. So yeah… lol **_**HUMBERTO????!!!!!!**_** Like WTF?!!!**_

Solstice

"Squadies! Hero up!" Iron-Man's called out, as he flew out of the room, and presumably out of the Heli-carrier itself.

"Alright!" Wolverine howled, as he, too, jumped out the door of the Heli-carrier.

Falcon, Hulk and Reptil followed.

"Pterodactyl wings!" Reptil called out, as huge wings grew out of his body, taking the place of where his arms are- or were.

"Okay, Squadies" Iron-Man's voice filtered in on the voice-communicator wrist-watches that he had given every 'Squadie'

"It shows that Abomination, and MODOK are somewhere in the lower part of Down-Town. A Fractal is probably somewhere near there"

"Lower down-town?" Wolverines voice cut in threw the watch, as did the sarcasm that was dripping on every word "How's that possible?"

Iron-Man sighed "Fine. In _down-town_, then. Just go find them, okay?"

Reptil rolled his eyes. Wolverine had to comment on everything and _anything_. Wolverine couldn't go _one day_ without criticize _something._

"Oh, and radars show that there are Doom-Bots"

Reptil sighed. Doom-Bots were so _annoying!_

"AAARRGGG! Where do tiny voices come from?!!" Hulks panicked voice came in threw the wrist watch.

"Hulk" Iron-Man said, irritated "I've _told_ you. It's the watch."

"Friends stuck in watch?!!? Hulk save friends!!"

"No! Hulk-!"

Soon high-pitched screeching, accompanied with "Hulk smash!" filtered in threw the wrist watch.

"GAH!" Reptil exclaimed, as he shook off the watch. The screeching could still be heard, even as it fell farther down to the ground.

"Iron-Man will be fuming now" Falcon said, as he swooped down to Reptil.

"Yeah" Reptil answered "Guess Hulk won't be getting anymore watches"

They both laughed.

But soon, both heroes descended upon 'lower down-town', of Superhero City

Down-town looked like it had taken a beating. Not, a hard one, mind you. All the buildings were still standing, only some of them looked… Broken. And like someone took a… bite… out of them… Weird.

"Holy Crow" Falcon muttered. Thousand upon thousand of Doom-Bots were scattered around.

Luckily it looked like Down-Town had been evacuated. Nobody was around-

"Falcon! Look over _there!!_" Reptil exclaimed, as he swooped down to where he was pointing.

Falcon looked. All he could see was Doom-bots… No wait, he just spotted something…

"Holy Crow!" Falcon said, as he too, swooped down to where all sorts of Doom-Bots cluttered.

It was a girl! She was trying to fend off all the Doom-Bots that were swarming her, but it was plain to see that she was failing.

Her face showed her hard work of battling the Doom-Bots. And there were even dried spots of blood on her face, and in her long dark-brown hair.

Suddenly, the girl collapsed. She hit the pavement, and Falcon could swear he could hear the loud _thud_ that she made when she fell to the ground. The Doom-Bots looked like they smiled with glee, as they started to pick her up. Then they started shuffling off, and more Doom-Bots started to take their place.

"Velociraptor claws!" Reptil yelled, as his hands shaped into gigantic claws.

Falcon flew right behind Reptil. Knocking down the Doom-Bots, which were trying to sneak up on Reptil.

"Reptil! The girl!" Falcon yelled, as he dropped down to do hand-to-hand combat with a Doom-Bot.

"Velociraptor legs!" Reptil exclaimed, as he saw the Doom-Bots running away, their prize in hand.

"Iron-Man! We need back-up over here! Where are you?!" Falcon muttered into his wrist-watch, kicking on of the Doom-Bots down, and slicing another with his wing.

"Over and out, Falcon" Iron-Man said.

Soon, all of the Super-Hero Squad were fighting along side Falcon.

Reptil, having just reached the run-away Doom-Bots, easily sliced them open with his Raptor Claws.

They dropped the girl on the ground, as they all fell apart underneath her.

Reptil noticed that her eyes were still closed. And she didn't seem to look any younger, or older than he was.

And that she was also still bleeding.

"Oh, man" Reptil muttered "Iron-Man's going to have a fit!" He gently lifted the girl into his arms.

"He's going to think he failed! And he thinks hero's _never fail_. Even if the bad-guys win one, the good-guys come out on top. Oh, man, I really hope this girl isn't dead…"

Reptil sincerely hoped not. A dead girl on a hero's watch _doesn't look very good for the hero_… Death and safety are never in the same sentence.

Reptil slowly walked towards were the other Squadies were. He didn't want to run, because he might make her cuts worse.

But before he reached them, Reptil checked the girls pulse. He almost sighed with pure relief as he felt the steady drum of her heart-beat.

Back at the carnage, Falcon was calling out for Reptil.

"Yo! Reptil?!" Falcon called out.

"What is thouest calling out forth?" Thor asked, wiping his hammer on the back of his pants.

Falcon turned, and looked at Thor. His expression mixed of concern and anxiousness.

"Reptil. There was this girl and-"

Falcon broke off as he spotted Reptil, carrying the girl in his arms.

"There! That be-eth the Lizard One!"

"Holy Crow! Is she alive?" Falcon asked Reptil anxiously, as he came to a stop between Thor and Falcon

But, before Reptil could answer, Wolverine walked over and asked "What are you guys talking about?"

"Yeah, she's alive" Reptil answered, ignoring Wolverine.

Reptil looked down at the girl. He could hear Falcon sigh with relive, and Wolverine started badgering him for questions. Reptil stared at the girl. She was actually really pretty, if you ignore the huge bloody gashes in her face, and the big purple bruises.

She had really long, dark lashes, which stretched out over her face, and her long dark brown hair was tickling his arms.

"What are you guys standing around for?" Iron-Man asked, as he flew up towards them "There's still a-"

Iron-Man stopped talking, as he noticed the girl lying limp in Reptil's arms.

"Don't tell me" Iron-Man said

"Don't worry" Wolverine said, as Reptil glanced up at Iron-Man "She's still kickin'"

Iron-Man sighed. "Okay. Let's go, and bring her with you Reptil." Iron-Man nodded to the girl "Oh, and she's your responsibility."

With that Iron-Man flew off.

Wolverine smirked at Reptil, as the other Squadies started flying away with Iron-Man. "Heh. Nice, one! You get that pretty looking thing _all to yourself"_

Reptil gapped at Wolverine, but before he could retort, Wolverine saluted them, and walked off.

"Yeah, well… You're just jealous" Reptil muttered.

Falcon laughed, and patted Reptil on the back "Okay, bone-head, lets go"

Reptil, still muttering, walked, and then flew away with Falcon.

Reptil, back in the Heli-carrier, gently laid the girl in his bed. Even though, his Mom and Dad lived in Superhero City, he liked living with the Squad. Made him feel more with them, you know?

Reptil had already cleaned, and bandaged the girl's cuts, and also washed all the dried blood off her face and hair. He even washed some blood off some numerous parts of her body.

He was taking his responsibility really seriously.

Reptil checked her pulse, before he walked out of his door. He, once again wondered about the strange bracelet she wore on her wrist.

"Maybe Iron-Man would know" Reptil muttered to himself. "He knows all about weird things like that"

"Is pretty-lady okay?" Somebody said to Reptil, which caused him to jump in surprise.

Reptil turned around, and spotted Hulk standing behind him, an anxious look on his face.

Reptil sighed, and tried to stop his fast beating heart-rate

"Yeah, Hulk, pretty-lady will be just fine"

"Goodie! Pretty-lady should not look… un-pretty"

Reptil rolled his eyes. "_Un-pretty?"_ he mouthed to himself.

Hulk, by that time, had gotten bored. His knowledge of the pretty-lady being just fine was the only reason he had come to Reptil's room in the first place. Now, knowing that he wanted to do something else, so he walked off.

This caused him to smack right into Ms. Marvel.

"Look where you're going next time!" Ms. Marvel barked at Hulk.

"Sorry" Hulk muttered, as he walked around Ms. Marvel.

"Where is she?" Ms. Marvel asked, as soon as she reached Reptil.

Reptil looked at Ms. Marvel

"Why do you want to see her?" He asked.

"_Because"_ Ms. Marvel gritted out. "As being part of S.H.E.I., I get the right to see anything and _everything_ on this Heli-carrier! And that includes _guests!"_

Reptil put his hands up, and backed off

"All yours, Ms. Marvel"

"Thank you"

Soon a gasp came from inside the bunker, and a shocked Ms. Marvel stumbled out.

"That's one of my nieces" Ms. Marvel whispered.

"That's ONE. OF. MY. _NIECES!!"_

Iron-Man, just walking towards the corridor, he himself wanting to check the new visitor, heard Ms. Marvel's statement

"What's with all the yelling?" he asked, as he neared Ms. Marvel and Reptil.

"That's Solstice! My _niece!!"_

"Oh-"

"Is she dead!!? Please don't tell me she's dead!!" Ms. Marvel exclaimed, grabbing Reptil by the shoulders and shaking him.

"She can't be dead!"

"No! She's not!" Reptil exclaimed, as he pried Ms. Marvel's fingers off his shoulder.

"But she may die of fright from your yelling"

Ms. Marvel scowled at Reptil

"Not funny" She whispered.

Iron-Man stifled a laugh. "Yes, it is!" He exclaimed, "Especially when you _actually_ quieted down!"

Ms. Marvel glared at him.

Iron-Man promptly stopped laughing.

"Well, she better get good-treatment around here!" Ms. Marvel said, as she shook her finger at the both of them. "If I hear that _ONE PERSON _said _ONE BAD THING_ to her, you can bet that there will be _no more super heroes!"_

With that, Ms. Marvel walked off.

"Good-bye, Ms. Cranky-Pants!" Iron-Man muttered to Reptil.

Reptil smiled.

"Well, she is her niece; wouldn't you be a little shaken up? Anyway, Iron-Man, what about the fractal? Didn't you get it, or something? I didn't see you with one!"

"Don't worry, Reptil. I know where it is. But I doubt I will be getting it"

With that, Iron-Man walked away, leaving a very confused Reptil behind.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Reptil asked himself.

"Hello?" A soft whisper sounded from inside Reptil's room. "Is anyone out there?"

Reptil walked back into his room, and came face-to-face with the girl- Solstice- staring at him, with her big dark-green eyes.

"Who are you?" Solstice whispered. Part of her dark hair fell into her face, covering one of her eyes.

"I'm Anthony Lopez, but most people call me Reptil"

Solstice cocked her head "Reptil? Now why would-"

"Tyrannosaurs head"

Solstice's eyes widened.

"Great Goddess Phosperone" She muttered.

Reptil looked at her "Phosperone?"

"She's the goddess of the Underworld"

"Goddess?"

"Sorry, I'm so use to being around Mythology knowing-people. Yes, Phosperone was the _Greek_ goddess of the underworld. The Iron Maiden? Queen of the Underworld? Kore?"

Reptil gave her a blank look.

Solstice shrugged, humiliation blazing in her cheeks.

"Well I guess not all people know about Greek Gods and Goddesses"

Reptil nodded. His face changed back to his regular one, and he swore he saw Solstices shoulders shrink down.

He took that as she was a little scared of what he can do. It's not like it's a usual thing that people can transform into animals.

"Do you feel anything?" Reptil asked her "Anything…bad?"

Solstice shook her head, and her voice was just above a silent whisper when she answered "No, nothing at all"

Reptil sighed. "Okay, good. Let's go meet the guys"

_**Okay, so how is this? I kind of thought… you know. New person? And everything. I got this idea when I watched "A Brat Walks Among Us" You know, the one with the bratty girl that had the fractal tiara?? Yea, that's where I got this idea!! Anyway, please tell me ANYTHING you want… or whatever. LOL**_

_**-Calm-Waters**_


	2. Fun Game Of Introductions

_**Disclaimer; I do not own SHSS besides Solstice, but that's my own character. Otherwise everything else isn't mine. **_

_**Please Enjoy and REVIEW!!**_

Fun Game of Introduction

Solstice gave him a suspicious glance.

"Guys? Are there only men on this- this-"

"Heli-carrier"

"Yes, this Heli-_what?!?!_"

"Heli-carrier. You know, part of S.H.E.I.L.D?"

"Oh" Solstice whispered.

"Anyway, yes, most- well all people on the Helicarrier are guys"

"Doesn't that seem, a little- sexist?" Solstice said, inwardly wincing at the term 'sexist'

"Well, most of the girl team members _have_ homes to live in, or just don't want to live here."

"Oh"

"Yeah… Well, come on, let's go"

"Err… Okay"

Solstice slowly started to stand, and she had just taken her first step, when her leg buckled on her.

Solstice gasped in surprise, and flailed out her arms to grab something, and promptly smacked into something quite solid.

Solstice looked up, and was met with Reptil's face looking down at her.

Solstice flushed a deep red.

"Sorry" She mumbled, as she scrambled to right herself.

"It's… okay" Reptil said

"Well" Solstice said, after a few minutes of silence "Let's go meet your friends"

On that note, they both left

* * *

Luckily for the both of them, all of the squad was in the main 'living' area of the Helicarrier.

"Everyone is so…… fit" Solstice muttered, not being able to come up with a better explanation of what they looked like. She looked down at herself, in her baggy T and slightly ripped jeans.

_I could never get muscles like that in a million years!_ Solstice thought, as she glanced at Reptil.

_Even he has them, and he can't be any older than me! Wait- does he have blue-hair!?!?_

As soon as both Reptil and Solstice stepped into the room, all eyes swivelled to them.

Solstice felt her cheeks heat up in response to their staring.

"Everyone" Reptil announced "This is Solstice… um… Solstice…"

"Marvel" Solstice muttered.

"Marvel?" Asked a curious-looking person, completely silver and he even had white eyes! And a silver board to match his very silver body- that doesn't seem to have any cloths…

"Are you by chance, related to Ms. Marvel?"

"Yeah" Solstice muttered. She wasn't use to being stared at so long "She's my aunt"

Everyone- besides Reptil and Iron-Man- gasped.

"No way!"

"Tis not be-eth so!" A pretty big man exclaimed, with a shining Viking helmet, and a big hammer to match, his long golden hair flowing out from the bottom of his helmet.

Solstice squinted at the man.

"You wouldn't happen to be Thor, the great Viking God?" Solstice asked a little unsure of herself. She had read something about Mythology of Vikings once- had a picture exactly like him…

The man looked surprised, but then he smiled.

"Merrily! Tis who I be!"

Solstice's eyes widened.

"Wow. A _real Viking god!_ Are you sure no ones pranking me?"

Everyone shook their head 'no'.

Solstice turned to Reptil, going to tell him how they COULD NOT be freaking over how cool it was they had a _real Viking God _here- but Reptil was gone.

Blue hair and all.

Solstice quickly spun around, trying to dampen the blush that was creeping up her face.

Solstice momentarily cursed herself. She did, and always will, blush at anything embarrassing, even if any other person wouldn't have found it so. And that was embarrassing, so it caused her to blush EVEN MORE. And the fact that she has a pale face doesn't help at all.

"Well, um, I know 2 of you… would you mind telling me more?"

Suddenly a great _HUMONGOUS_ giant that was- _green?!?!_ – walked up to Solstice.

Solstice cringed, and stepped back. Being attacked by Doom-Bots, or whatever Reptil had called them, _defiantly_ didn't help her get over how overly scared she is of everything.

Solstice was surprised she had even fought those Doom-Bots. Usually she would have just run away from things.

"Uh, Hulk? I think you are scaring her" A dark-toned man said, with red-wings sticking out from his sides.

"Yeah, with a face like that who _wouldn't_ he scare?" Another voice called out. It came from a lighter-toned man, with a yellow and black suit, that had weird-like cat ear-things sticking out from the back of his head.

The man smiled at Solstice, and Solstice started to smile back, but when he lifted up his hand, and large blade-like knives came out, well Solstice stopped smiling. She shrieked, though, and stepped back some more. Her whole face went paler than normal, even after the blades were gone.

Everyone was glaring at that man, and shaking their heads.

The green giant man- Hulk was his name? - had already left her side, and was sitting on a very large couch.

"Ignore him" the Dark-toned man, nodded to switch-blade finger-person, "I'm Falcon, by the way. You can call me Falc, if you like"

"Hello Falcon" Solstice said, giving him a very appreciative smile.

"Tis you already knoweth me, I have no need to join this festivity of games" Thor said, as he dropped beside Hulk on the couch.

"Solstice" The Silver person said, as he floated over to her "I am the Silver Surfer"

"Silver Surfer" Solstice said, as she too, gave him a very nice smile.

"And I'm Wolverine" The switch-blade man said, as he got up from his seat, and went over to shake Solstices hand.

Solstice studied Wolverines hand for a few minutes before hesitantly putting her hand inside of it.

Wolverine laughed, as he shook her hand.

"You're a cute one" Wolverine said, as he winked at Solstice.

Solstice blushed.

"And you're a flirt" Another man said, as he walked over. He was completely decked out in bright red armour.

But before he could say anything Solstice spoke first.

"Wait! Are you Tony Stark, more known as 'Iron-Man'?" Solstice asked.

Iron-Man faltered for a few minutes, before answering "Yeah"

"Yeah, there was this whole news paper article of Stark industries, it had a picture of you, and said how you were the _'Interpreted leader of the Super-Hero Squad'_" Solstice said.

"I guess I'm meeting them right now, huh?"

Everyone nodded

"_Interpreted leader?!_" Wolverine laughed, as he gave Iron-Man a weird look

Iron-Man scowled at Wolverine

"That wasn't me! The press said it!"

"Sure, sure" Wolverine said.

"What I miss?" Reptil said from the doorway, holding a big fat burrito.

Solstice now understood why he had left.

"Just a fun game of Introductions" Wolverine said, giving Solstice a meaningful stare.

Solstice blushed in reaction.

Iron-Man rolled his eyes, and then cleared his throat.

"Well, welcome Solstice, since your going to be staying here"

Everyone gasped, and then all asked the same question

"Why?"

"Because, she has an infinity fractal"

* * *

Now, over on the other side of the wall, Abomination and MODOK were fighting over, something.

"You tell him!" Abomination shouted

"NO! You tell him!" MODOK countered.

"Why me?!?"

"Well it can't be me!"

"Why not?!?"

"Because _I'll_ get hurt!" MODOK exclaimed.

"And I won't?!?"

"Yes, but no one would care!"

Abomination growled. Abomination was just about to pound MODOK, when a chilling voice called out to them.

"Abomination, MODOK, where are you? I can hear you, but why can't I see you?"

MODOK and Abomination froze in their spots.

"_Abomination!!?_ _MODOK?!?!"_

Abomination and MODOK slowly walked out of their hiding spot.

"Right here, your excellence" MODOK mumbled glumly

"Where is my fractal?" Doom asked, in that same chillingly cold tone of voice.

"Well… We don't… Have it…" MODOK hesitated.

"And _WHY_ don't you have it?!?!"

"Because the Super-Hero Squad got her first" Abomination cut in.

"Why you incompetent- Wait! Did you say her?"

"Yes, your excellence, it is a girl that has the fractal"

"Well then, GET THE GIRL!" Doom yelled.

"But the Super-hero Squad-"

"I don't CARE if you have to rip the very atoms off the _walls_ in order to get that girl!!" Doom shouted, standing up in his chair

"JUST GET THAT GIRL!!" Doom yelled, as he pointed to the door.

"Yes, sir!"

_**Hey!! How was this? Any good? Sorry for it being REALLY SHORT…… :1 sorry.**_

_**Well I hope you liked it anyway! Tehe, and I MIGHT be OOC'ing Wolverine, but I personally take him more as one of those I-joke-about-everything-as-well-as-criticize, you know?**_

_**-Calm-Waters**_


	3. Hulks are Heightatious

_**Disclaimer; I do not own SHSS, mkay??? LOL besides Solstice, but THAT'S IT!!!**_

_**LOL enjoy and REVIEW!!**_

Hulks are Heightatious

"What do you mean Iron-Man?"

"Well, can't you see?" Iron-Man said, motioning to Solstice. For which caused everyone to glance at her more "The fractal, somehow, infused itself within her wrist. Solstice show them your 'bracelet'"

"Uhh, okay?" Solstice mumbled, as she raised her right-arm.

For some reason, Solstices wrist started to glow a deep purple colour, and it vibrated within Solstice's arm.

"Oh, great goddess Hera!" Solstice exclaimed.

"So, yeah." Iron-Man said, ignoring Solstice somewhat "She's staying with us. That way we have an eye on her 24/7. I really doubt anyone would let us take her into the Vault. Ms. Marvel probably wouldn't take too kindly to that"

Some people smiled, and Solstice wondered what the joke was. Solstice slowly lowered her hand, which had stopped vibrating and glowing.

"So, where will she stay?" Reptil asked, finished with his burrito "I really doubt she can stay in my room 24/7"

Wolverine snorted, which caused Reptil to glare at him.

"No" Iron-Man said, giving Wolverine a glance, but it really had no meaning to. "We'll just give her, her own room"

"Yes, but where?"

Iron-Man shrugged.

Solstice felt a little rebuffed

_Here they are talking about ME, and I'm not allowed a say!_

Suddenly the big hulking man- Hulk –

_Hmm, so that's why he's called the Hulk_. Solstice thought

Hulk walked up towards her, while the others were arguing about where Solstice should stay. But Hulk stopped when Solstice started stepping back.

"Pretty-lady no like Hulk?" Hulk asked, as his face masked his voices' disappointment.

Solstice felt her heart melt

"No! No, Mr. hulk, it's not that I _don't_ like you! I do, really. It's just that your size- well, you're so tall"

Immediately Hulk flopped down. The whole Heli-carrier shook, as Hulk looked at Solstice expectantly, a boyish grin on his face.

"Do you like Hulks tall now?"

Solstice smiled at Hulk

"Well you are smaller-"

"Hurray Hulk!" Hulk cheered

"-But-"

"Aawwww" Hulk said

"-_But, _I think I will like you for who you are. Your tallness and all"

Solstice almost laughed at Hulks happy expression. She didn't though, because Hulk might take it the wrong way.

_Why he's no more than a little kid! Just only in a giant's body!_

Solstice knew that Hulk was going to be one of her bestest friends among this ship. If bestest could even be defined as a word

Solstice smiled, but abruptly stopped when big green hands engulfed her.

"Oh-no" Solstice muttered, as she felt herself being lifted up "Not heights. Anything but that _please!_"

But, soon, Solstice found herself sitting atop Hulks head. Her vision abruptly went blurry, and her face went deathly pale, then started to green. Her ears rang inside her head, and she couldn't hear anymore of the Squads squabble.

Solstice closed her eyes against the reeling dizziness, and desperately tried not to puke on Hulks head.

Unbeknownst to her, Solstice had taken a tight hold on Hulks hair. But it wasn't like Hulk minded.

Reptil had watched the whole thing. He had seen Solstice's eyes widen when Hulk first picked her up, and how green her face is now. It almost matched Hulks skin tone.

"Um, Hulk?" Reptil said "I don't think Solstice likes heights"

Hulk gave Reptil a weird look

"What Lobster mean?"

"Solstice isn't _ever_ going to like you, if you keep her on your head" Reptil said, using the conversation he had heard to his advantage.

Hulk quickly put Solstice down.

Solstice slowly opened her eyes, and found that some of the dizziness was gone, as was her nausea.

"Its okay, Hulk" Solstice said, seeing the look on Hulks face "You didn't know"

"I bet he still doesn't" Switch bl- Wolverine butted in

"Doesn't understand what?" Silver Surfer asked curiously.

"That Solstice is afraid of heights"

"She does not like the word heights?" Silver Surfer asked, obviously confused

"No, no" Iron-Man said, joining in the conversation "She doesn't like being up high. As you can see she doesn't even like to be this high" Iron-Man said, as he flew up to Hulks head, and stuck his hand out.

"Oh," Silver Surfer said, "Well then, shouldn't she be sick now? We are greatly higher than Hulks head, then from the ground below"

Solstice's eyes widened "We are on a _plane?!_"

_No wonder I've felt so disoriented_.

"Heli-carrier" Wolverine corrected

Solstice had to sit down. So she did.

After taking a big deep breath, some of Solstice's agitation went away.

"Well, I've been on planes before, and I find that as long as I don't look out a window, I won't get sick" Solstice explained, as some of the Squad were looking at her expectantly "But I haven't really tested this theory thoroughly. Never really been on planes all that much"

"Well, then, look out the window, Princess" Wolverine said, nodding to the window beside his seat.

"Umm, no thanks" Solstice said, half not wanting to really test this theory and half not wanting to get near Wolverine.

"Whatever" Wolverine said, as he flicked out his hand, and his blades came out with a _swiiisssh_

Solstice quickly looked away.

"So you think that if you only see how high you are, you get sick?"

Solstice shrugged her shoulders lightly.

"I don't know" Solstice whispered.

_I'm a strange person_

* * *

~ Over the Wall ~

Doom paced the room.

His agitation was growing by the minute. He could tell that this girl had one of the most powerful fractals ever.

Doom could just imagine all the evil he could do with the most powerful fractal ever!

The Super Hero Squad begging him! Cowering in fear!

Doom laughed with pleasure, but then sobered.

"If only my minions could accomplish anything!" He shouted at no one, pounding his hand on his chair.

_**Okay, well how was this? Kinda short right? Yeaaa… well…. errrr I don't know what to say to that, and stuff. And I had to do the thing with Hulk, 'cuz it was something I imagined him to do!! Can't you see Hulk doing that?!?! I can!! Well review stuff. LOL**_

_**- Calm-Waters**_


	4. Kidnapping, plus a little Marvel

_**Disclaimer; I do not own SHSS and their characters. Besides Solstice. :D PLEASE REVIEW AND ENJOY!!**_

Kidnapping, plus a little Marvel

Solstice was walking around, aimlessly, in one of the biggest corridors she has ever seen in her life. She could swear that all of Olympia would fit in here.

Solstice took care not to go near any windows, because her curiosity of how high they really were was going to be very strong.

It had been about 3 days since she had first come here, and Solstice was really starting to like it. Iron-Man had hinted at some future looking at what she can do, with the fractal, because on Day 1 he had explained what fractals are, and what they can do. If this fractal didn't give her anything special, well that would be the first.

_But, anyway, everyone is so nice to me!_ Solstice thought, still strolling through the corridor.

Suddenly a great resounding crash brought Solstice back to reality. Chunks of concrete flew by Solstice's face. She mentally wondered why none had hit her.

But that thought was shoved aside, when another great hulking beast stood in front of her, giving her a very ugly sneer. He resembled one of the lake-monsters she had heard of so often in children stories. He was green in skin tone, like the Hulk, but was definitely not as good in the disposition as he was, if she could judge by the look he was giving her,

Another person stood in front of her, smaller than a child he looked, but had a butt-ugly face. His eyes were completely white- like the Surfers- but he obviously didn't seem as nice as the Surfer did. He was floating, and seemed to only sit in a chair that somehow wound its way all over the man's body.

Solstice screamed.

"AHHH!" The little head man cried "Abomination! Shut her up!"

The green monster- Abomination- quickly covered Solstice's mouth with his hand.

_It smells horrible!_ Solstice thought, as she wrinkled her nose in disdain.

"That's better" The little man said, smiling cruelly at Solstice.

_He sounds like a nascily little child_ Solstice thought bitterly. She knew she didn't have to be kind to _this_ people, they were evil. Why else would they seem to be kidnapping her?

"MODOK, why do I have to hold her mouth?"

"Because! Because… Well because…"

"Because you have no arms?"

"No!"

"Yes"

"NO!!!" MODOK yelled, his face puffing to a reddish tinge.

"Yes" Abomination cooed, still having his hand over Solstice's face.

"_URG!!_" MODOK screamed, but suddenly stopped in mid-rampage.

"Look there, you idiot! On her arm-"

Abomination lifted up Solstice's arm, none to gently. Solstice flinched, and felt like yelling at him

_Not that way! It doesn't bend that way!!_

"The Fractal!" Abomination cried out loud.

"And it's embedded in her arm…"

"MODOK! Abomination!" Someone exclaimed on the other side of the hallway.

There stood Reptil, and Solstice was so happy to see him! She silently pleaded for him, to NOT get hurt.

"We've been found!" MODOK screamed, "Let's go, you fat-head!"

Solstice screamed again, but as her mouth was covered, it was just a muffled mmpphhhhppmmm.

_No! Help me Reptil!!_ Solstice thought desperately, as Abomination jumped out of the hole they created when they had jumped- or crashed- inside.

Within bare moments of weightless flying, Abominations hand had slipped from it's spot on Solstice's mouth.

Solstice, with her mouth now free, screamed.

Her scream was so bloody loud, it vibrated the whole air and matter around her. It caused Abomination and MODOK to fly away from her, and cause the Heli-carrier shake about, almost flipping over in the sky.

But, since Abomination left go of her, her flight path altered and now she was ACTUALLY free-falling.

Solstice was still screaming, not as loud though, after seeing what going full-blow she dialled it down a few notches.

"Help my God Hermes!" Solstice cried, begging the god of flight to help her in her situation, even if it was to only to deliver messages.

Suddenly Solstice was weightless.

_It- it… worked_, Solstice thought, after all her wishing before, all her begging when she truly believed… It finally wor-

"Solstice, are you okay?"

Solstice looked up, and saw Reptils blue hair shine down at her, as well as his tan face. But instead of his misty blue eyes, they wee a deep dark red.

"Yea… Yea… Yeah" Solstice gulped. She HATED red eyes… Just too many much memories.

Reptil smiled slightly, "Good." He said.

Solstice looked down at where she felt something grabbing her. She expected to see Reptil's hands, but instead she saw Dinosaur feet.

_Well, then how come we're flying?_

Solstice looked over, at the side of her body, then looked up. There, where Reptil's hands SHOULD be, were great massive Reptilian wings.

"Oh dear…" Solstice muttered

"Oh dear is right" Reptil said, thinking she was talking about the Heli-carrier, "It's completely destroyed on the inside…"

"I did that?!" Solstice exclaimed, "No one's going to like me now…"

"Ah, don't worry. Everyone has damaged the Heli-carrier onetime or another. The only one you have to worry about is Ms. Marvel"

"Oh." Solstice mumbled, as they flew into the Heli-carrier.

A couple of minutes later, Solstice realized that while she had flown in with Reptil, not once had she ever been afraid.

Creepy.

* * *

Iron-Man walked towards both Solstice and Reptil, his face looking very grim.

"She broke everything" Iron-Man muttered, then repeated in a louder voice

"_She broke everything!_"

Solstice shrunk down, and slightly hid behind Reptil, her face a flame of humiliation.

"I'm sorry" Solstice mumbled, but Iron-Man didn't hear.

"We'll have to train her." Iron-Man said loudly, glaring at Solstice while he said it.

"We are?"

With that, Iron-Man walked away, muttering things to himself. "Thank goodness no one was hurt"

"Hey," Reptil said "Sorry about that, Iron-Man isn't always the nicest when it comes to being responsible."

Solstice nodded, not speaking, but her face had just returned to normal colour.

"Well, I guess I'll have to get trained" Solstice muttered, right before a major yelling match started

"_Oh my god!_ _What happened to the Heli-carrier?!"_

"Auntie M?" Solstice questioned

"Oh no" Reptil moaned "Not Ms. Marvel!"

* * *

A few minutes later, Ms. Marvel knew everything.

Solstice had just waved good-bye to Hulk, as he was the first and last one to make sure she was alright- Besides Reptil of course but he was the one that had saved her.

"Hulk get out of here!" Ms. Marvel screamed, pointing to the open doorway.

"Hulk going!" Hulk said, walking out the door with his hands palm-up

"Bye Hulk!" Solstice said, while waving.

Hulk waved back, even though he hadn't seen her wave.

Once the door was closed, Ms. Marvel pounced "_She got kidnapped?!?!_"

"Almost" Solstice muttered, loud enough for Ms. Marvel to hear. "Reptil did save me"

"So?!" Ms. Marvel exclaimed, "What if he hadn't had been there?! What then?!?! And you!" Ms. Marvel turned to Iron-Man pointing an accusing finger at him, "It's your entire fault for this mess!!"

"No! It's mine!" Solstice retorted

Ms. Marvel turned to Solstice, her eyebrows rose doubtlessly "And how's that?"

"Well… I really don't know," Solstice explained "I… screamed, and then this weird thing happened with air and matter itself and-"

"Yes, but you wouldn't have screamed if Iron-Man took better care of you!"

"Not to sound rude, Aunt, but why exactly do you care? About me, that is?" Solstice asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Ms. Marvel looked shocked "Why wouldn't I care? You're my relative! Part of my family, of course I care"

"By marriage, to a another part of your family, that wasn't even related by blood"

"So? How does that signify?"

Solstice shrugged, "So, umm, people are _suppose_ to care for you? No strings attached?"

Ms. Marvel, Iron-Man and Reptil looked at her carefully.

"Doesn't your family care for you?"

"Yes… yeah… of-of course they do!" Solstice hesitated, not looking anyone in the eye.

No one really believed her.

* * *

Solstice stood with everyone in the living room, only Reptil and Iron-Man weren't there.

"What was the discussion about?" Falcon asked, looking for something interesting.

Solstice looked down, not saying anything for a moment. "It was just about how much the damage I made would cost"

Falcon smiled "Don't worry your head, I've been in that boat a million times."

Solstice looked up "You have?"

Falcon laughed "I couldn't count on 3 hands how many times I have!"

Solstice smiled with him, "Thanks, I feel better now"

Falcon swatted her on the back, which caused Solstice to fall forwards a bit "No problem"

Solstice smiled as he walked off, and noticed Hulk standing dutifully beside her.

Solstice smile widened, as she turned to Hulk. "Yes Hulk?"

Hulk rubbed the back of his neck "Would pretty-lady like to play game with Hulk?"

"Pretty-lady?" Solstice asked, playfully. She always felt welcomed with Hulk around, and with Reptil… But that thought could wait.

Hulk blushed, and Solstice barely contained her laugh. She didn't want to embarrass Hulk anymore then he was.

"It's a very nice name, Hulk. Maybe it can be my super-name!"

Hulk smiled "Yay!" And he picked Solstice up, and lifted her around.

Solstice closed her eyes, and forced a smile, even though she could feel herself going as green as the Hulk.

_Being sick is better then disappointing the Hulk. He's such a softie._

When Hulk dropped her down, Solstice grabbed onto Hulks frame for a moment, trying to calm her dizzying head.

"Pretty-Lady okay?" Hulk asked, worriedly.

"Mmmm, I'm- Er, pretty-lady is fine"

Hulk let out a deep breath.

"Let's play that game, shall we?" Solstice asked, feeling a bit better now.

_**Okay, sorry, I was a bit busy and everything… So how was this? Any good? Solstice is just learning what she can do! I bet that Mimi would be proud of the scream that she… well… screamed… LOL anyway PLEASE REVIEW!! I love reviews, please please review it makes my day!! :D**_

_**- Calm-Waters**_


	5. Playing With Hulk

_**Disclaimer; I do not own SHSS, or any of their characters, I just 'own' Solstice… :D Please enjoy it! And review!! :D Oh, and I am going to say that Reptil is already a member of the squad, okay? I hope this doesn't confuse everyone… But I know he still isn't a real member in the shows… At least I haven't seen him be promoted yet.**_

Playing With Hulk

"3...2…1! Ready or not, here I come!" Solstice exclaimed from the kitchen, walking out the door "Hulk, I'll find you!"

Solstice started roaming the hallway. Hulk had decided that they would play hide and seek, how they could do that with 2 people, Solstice didn't know, but she didn't want to upset Hulk. He seemed so happy to just be playing with her, and she didn't have the heart to disappoint him on that. She had asked all the other Squadies if they want to play with them, but they all just sat there- like couch potatoes.

So here she was, roaming the halls for a Hulk in hiding… Solstice briefly wondered how he could hide himself so well… He was the Hulk after all!

"Hey! Solstice!" Reptil called out, running up behind her, "Wait up!"

Solstice stopped, waiting for Reptil to catch up. She hoped whatever he had to say wouldn't take long- She knew that Hulk didn't like being alone and cramped for long. He was just like a child after all.

Reptil ran up, and smiled at her. "Good news!" He huffed "I'll be your training mentor!"

Solstice smiled at Reptil, a funny feeling crawling in the pit of her stomach, just like when he had saved her from Abomination and MODOK… A weird feeling it was, but not all that unpleasant.

"That's awesome"

"Yeah"

They lapsed into silence, and Solstice didn't want to ruin it by saying that she had to find Hulk.

"Did you know," Reptil suddenly said, "That I wasn't always an official member?"

Solstice glanced at him, and started walking- She knew she needed to find Hulk soon, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I had a mentor, too" Reptil explained, walking alongside her. "Wolverine, he was my mentor. I had to prove myself to him to actually be a real member of the squad"

"Your mentor was Switch- erm- Wolverine?" Solstice exclaimed, blushing at almost reviling her name for Wolverine.

"Yeah… Wait, what were you going to say? Switch-?"

Solstice blushed some more. "Switch-blade. That's what Wolverine reminded me of, and I called him that because he hadn't had told me his name yet… And it sort of stuck in my mind, well because he _really_ scares me and his blades are-"

"_Switch-Blade?_" Reptil exclaimed, as he smiled at Solstice, making that funny feeling crawl inside her again. "That's a good one! I hadn't thought of that!"

Solstice blushed, "Well-I-uhh."

"It's alright," Reptil said, patting her shoulder, making the crawling sensation heighten "I didn't mean it to be like that. Wolverine is scary, now isn't he?" Reptil said, addressing what she had said earlier.

Solstice smiled up at him, "Okay… And yes, he is… But you won't tell him his nick-name, right?" She whispered, so only he could hear.

Reptil nodded.

"Didn't mean what?" Someone said behind the two.

They both jumped around, but Solstice was the only one that squealed in surprised.

_Speak of the devil_, Solstice joked privately. Standing in front of them was Wolverine, himself.

"Well…" Reptil said not sure if he really should tell Wolverine Solstice's nickname for him.

"Oh!" Solstice exclaimed. Her fear of him smashed into her gut, making her suck in her breath.

Wolverine looked at her with a weird expression, "What are you two talking about?"

"Well… Reptil had just asked… Oh my! I have to find Hulk!" Solstice said desperately, trying to get away from this really embarrassing situation, and away from Wolverine himself. "See you guys!"

Solstice ran off, calling "Olli-Olli-Oxen Free!" and "Hulk you can come out now! You win!"

Wolverine, watched her run around the corner, but now turned back to Reptil. "What were you two talking about?"

"Well… uhhh…"

"Speak up," Wolverine said, holding up his fist, and his blades coming out with a _swwwiiissshhh_, "What were you saying?"

"Solstice was just commenting on how nice everyone is!" Reptil exclaimed, looking at the blades nervously. He could understand Solstice's fear of Wolverine. He was scary sometimes.

"I don't believe you," Wolverine said, eyeing Reptil slowly, "I heard my name"

"Well, she was just saying that she was a little afraid of you… You know how intimidating you can be!" Reptil gulped.

"Are you sure?" Wolverine said, his hand coming down and his blades disappearing, "I don't like people talking behind my back"

Reptil nodded, "Yes, she said it. You can believe me!"

_Ohh, I hope she won't be mad at me!_ Reptil thought

Wolverine nodded, "I'll believe you… I guess."

After Wolverine had walked away, Reptil leaned against the wall, and sighed.

"Thank goodness he isn't my mentor anymore! Sure, he was fair, but boy, was he ever _tough!_"

_Maybe all Canadians are like that_, Reptil thought absently.

* * *

The next day, Solstice's fifth day on the Heli-carrier, Reptil knocked on Solstice's designated room.

"Come in?" Solstice said, as she heard the knocking. She put down the book she was reading. "Mythology will just have to wait" She whispered.

Reptil, hearing the "Come in" opened the door, with a big grin on his face.

"It's time to train!" He exclaimed proudly, puffing up his chest.

Solstice smiled, and laughed slightly. "A little full of yourself, now are we?"

"Yeah! While I get to train you, all the others have to clean up the mess you- er"

Solstice looked down, "The mess I made?"

"Yeah…"

Solstice looked up at him and forced a smile. Even thought what Reptil had said hadn't helped her mood, she was more concerned with what Ms. Marvel had said during that negative discussion.

The first was that Family Comment, which Solstice had expecting even when she hadn't heard it. She knew that Family was suppose to be a _family_, not just… well, you know.

The other thing that Ms. Marvel said, before she stormed angrily out of the Heli-carrier, was way more important.

"_If you guys slip up, once more with my niece," Ms. Marvel warned the Squad,, "Consider yourselves jobless!"_

Solstice really didn't like the way Ms. Marvel had said that, and how she ordered about everyone. It just wasn't very nice, and she could understand why they called her Ms. Cranky-pants when she left.

But her real concern with that was that Solstice KNEW _SHE_ was going to mess up. BADLY, and it would look like the Squad had. Like with the hole messing up the Heli-carrier thing

Solstice knew that the damage had been her fault entirely, yet Ms. Marvel blamed it all on the Squad.

Solstice didn't WANT that! The Squad being fired, all because of her! Where would they go? What would they do? Where would the justice be?

_And Hulk! _Solstice thought sadly,_ how could he survive!?? He's a great hulking Hulk! It just wouldn't be fair, and I would never see him again… Or Reptil…_

Solstice quickly put a stop to those thoughts. She didn't like the way she felt, when she THOUGHT of that… Imagine, how she would feel if it ACTUALLY happened?

"What are you thinking about?" Reptil asked Solstice, dragging her away from her musings.

"Nothing" Solstice replied, looking down at her feet. Step one, Step two, Step one, Step two…

"Hmm, that's always nice to think about" Reptil joked.

Solstice gave Reptil a side-ways glance, and almost jumped when she saw that he was looking at her. It sent a jolt of that funny-feeling down her spine.

Yet the feeling wasn't unpleasant.

_Why do I feel this way?_ Solstice asked herself_, Why do I feel so strange around Reptil?_

_**Ohhh, can you gals and guys guess why she feels so strange? XD ;D LOL I bet you can… Sorry it's so short… I seem to only do short chapters… It's weird………… HMMMMMMMM LOL XD Well review PUH-LEASE!!! And i'm really sorry for the short chappy… I'll try and make some bigger ones… :/. Oh and all other Canadians, please do not take offence to that mark... I just kinda found it a little amusing, Wolverine being Canadian and all.... Ha, my own Canadian joke, and I'm Canadian... wow, I have to get a life... LOL**_

_**- Calm-Waters**_


	6. Training

_**Disclaimer; I do not won SHSS, or any of their characters, I 'own' Solstice, but that's it… err… anything else? Oh YEA!! Oh my gwad, you guys are really awesomesauce for reviewing and everything! You guys are really awesomesauce, and I wub you for it!! Thanks peoples, you really make my day better!**_

Training

"So, do you know anything you can really do?" Reptil asked, as they reached a square built room.

The room had a lower deck, and a higher one. The higher one was like a patio-sort of thing, yet it had all sorts of weird buttons and lights on it, plus signs that Solstice didn't even understand some of the words for! The upper-part stretched all the way around the room, ending near the door which they had just walked through. It had silver metallic-y railings along the side of it, and Solstice wondered why anyone would waste money on that. _It's not like someone's gunna get hurt falling down there… But each to their own_

The lower part of this room, had two parts to it, the half on which they were standing on had light blue tiles on it, yet they seemed to sparkle with a weird light, the other side, had wood flooring with many weight-machines on it. One treadmill and that thing that makes you feel like your skiing was also there. A bench press was there, right near the ending of the wood flooring onto the light blue tiles.

"This is… the training room?" Solstice asked disbelief plain in her voice.

"Yeah, it's quite something, now isn't it? All Stark productions, if you wanted to know"

"Mmmhhmmm" Solstice nodded.

"So, did you figure out anything that you can do?" Reptil asked again, waiting patiently.

"Ohhhh, uhhhh- err" Solstice stammered.

Reptil laughed, "Yea, I really doubted you did. It was only two days ago that you learned you could do _anything!_ Well, with that, let's get started"

Solstice breathed a sigh of relieve. She was glad that it wasn't expected of her to actually know what she CAN do…

Reptil glanced about the room, and his eyes first spotted the weight portion of the room.

"Not to be mean, or anything, but I really doubt you could lift any of those weight…"

Solstice looked at where Reptil was looking, and agreed. "Yea, I seriously doubt it, too. I'm not exactly the _strong_ type"

"Well then, umm, let's try the hologram thing" Reptil said

Solstice cocked her head at him, but didn't comment.

Reptil, standing there feeling a little nervous, jumped up onto the patio thing, and pressed a few buttons. Soon lots of those machines that had attacked Solstice- Doombots, was it? - vaporised, and were surrounding her everywhere.

Solstice jumped back, and squeaked in fear.

The nearest Doombot that was near Solstice, burst into flames, then into tiny particles.

"Whoa!" Reptil said, who had appeared beside her, "That was awesome! But, don't worry, they only move when I say the word st-"

"DON'T SAY IT!" Solstice yelled.

Reptil grinned, "Okay… Anyway, we are going to start it slow… Just leave them be for now, until we can figure out what you can actually do"

Solstice nodded, but still looked at the Holograms worriedly. "Yes, that sounds fine, but are you sure they won't… do anything?"

Reptil looked at her strangely, but then remembered exactly how they had found her…

"Oh! No, no! But we can change how they-"

"No, no" Solstice said, just concealing her fear, "It's fine"

"Alright, let's try and figure out what you can do!" Reptil said, and started listing off all the super-powers that he could figure out.

_Super Strength? NO_

_Laser eyes? NO_

_Ninja- reflex and ect. Skills? NO_

_Shape-shifting? NO_

"But you can do that cool Scream thing, like Screaming Mimi" Reptil said, checking off something in the clip-board he had gotten. "Sonic Sound, or whatever"

Solstice nodded, "I'm not going to do that here, though"

"Yeah," Reptil chuckled, "Wouldn't want Iron-Man freaking out on you now"

Reptil sighed, "Well, I can't seem to think of anything else at the moment, want to try using a shaft?"

"Shaft?" Solstice asked, cocking her head to the side.

"It's a wooden stick that you can whack people on the head with"

"Oh" Solstice said.

Reptil and Solstice spent, about half the day, with the shaft training. Reptil used the non-moving holograms to show her where to hit to paralyze, and many other things. With Reptil as a mentor, Solstice knew she was going to learn quickly, and she did.

"Wow! You sure are learning this fast!" Reptil commented hours after restless, and hard shaft-training, "I think it's time you promoted to moving holograms!"

Solstice smiled, "Really? You think so?"

Reptil nodded, and smiled down at her, which made that funny-feeling rear it's face again. Fluttering just inside her stomach, making her feel… funny… Strange.

Reptil smile widened, and he gave Solstice a glance, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am"

"Okay, well… Let's start!"

Suddenly, the Holograms that were dormant a second ago, jerked to attention. They moved about, glowing- but they didn't seem to glow with the weird glow that the real Doombots had… They had a different glow, more like to glow that everything Tony Stark had made seemed to have.

"Come on, Solstice! Let's fight!" Reptil exclaimed with joy, and Solstice felt like smiling along with him.

"Alright" Solstice said, knowing that she would have to get this over with, "If I can do it with them not moving, it shouldn't be all that hard with them moving- right?"

As Solstice progressed more in the fight, she found that fighting them wasn't all THAT hard, as she would have thought it to be. But it was probably because Reptil must have put it on Easy Mode, or something like that.

Reptil, noticing Solstice's actions, as well as fighting, stopped in his punch, and gave Solstice a thumb's up.

"Doing good!" He called out, just before another Hologram jumped him.

Solstice smiled at him, but noticed that a Doombot was sneaking up behind him.

"Look out Reptil!" Solstice exclaimed, as the Doombot lunged himself at Reptil.

Solstice, pointed at the Doombot, trying to show that Reptil was in trouble. A sonic boom sounded, and the Doombot broke into thousands of tiny particles, that scattered about the room.

"What happened!?!" Reptil said, completely stunned, "What did you do?!?"

Solstice stared down at her hand, "I-I- I don't know… All I wanted was you- err…" Solstice hesitated. _I had wanted to keep you save, that's what I wanted- But wouldn't it be a little awkward to say that out loud? Yet, like the fractal understood me, it… It destroyed that Hologram. I could never have done that, even in a million years!_

"Wanted to what?" Reptil asked, moving towards Solstice, cocking his head in a questioning way.

"Destroy the Doombot?" Solstice said, it sounding more like a question then a statement.

"Well, you sure did alright!" Reptil said, glancing at the place where the Hologram had been, "Boy, did you ever" He mumbled, giving Solstice a curious glance.

For some reason, Solstice blushed at the look Reptil was giving her. She turned her head away, to some impulse to do so, "I guess it's emotion-activated," Solstice said, some of her blush evident in her voice, "Maybe because it dug in my skin, and probably hit a nerve, or something that connects to the brain…"

"Yeah, probably," Reptil said, showing no interest to that direction of thought, "Oh man! We have to tell Iron-Man!"

Before Solstice could utter a word, Reptil had zoomed out of the room. Solstice stared at the door, which had shut with a _bang_ when Reptil had run out of it.

_Why do I feel so strange about Reptil? I certainly don't feel strange around Hulk!_

Suddenly a thought popped into Solstice's head.

_Could I LIKE Reptil? Well, he is quite handsome- All of them are, even if they some have different colour skin, and as such. Reptil is very nice, but yet as all the others, so how come it's just him? Is their something about him? Well, saving me from those bad-guys must have done something… But, yet what about Hulk? I seem to be with him, more then Reptil, yet I have nothing towards him besides sisterly feelings… Well love is a strange thing._

_WAIT!!!! Did I just say love? No, no, no, I can't possibly be in LOVE with Reptil!_

_Or can I?_

_**Well????? What do you think? Is she in love with him, or not? I personally think so, because her and Hulk would be great best buddies- not, err, lovers, I guess it would be… Well, what do you guys think? Hmmm??? And sorry for the shortness**_

_**- Calm-Waters**_


	7. Disaster

_**Disclaimer; I don't own SHSS or anything besides Solstice… :D so please review- if you dare! LOL just kidding ^^**_

Disaster

Reptil ran into the training room, Iron-Man following behind him cautiously. Solstice stood up, and smiled at the two of them, "So you think it reacts to emotion?" Iron-Man asked, as he gave Solstice a curious look.

Solstice nodded her head, "Yes, I think so. Because when I screamed that one time, it shook the whole air around me and every…" Solstice stopped as she realized what she was talking about. Iron-Man frowned for a brief moment before nodding his head, "Yes it did. The Heli-carrier has proof of it."

Solstice blushed a light red, "Iron- Iron- Iron-Man, I wa-wanted to say I'm so so-sorry, about that, also about Ms. Marvel- she was always- well like that."

Iron-man waved a red-metal and yellow hand, "You can't control your relatives," He said dismissively.

"You can say that again." Solstice mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Iron-man asked, giving Solstice a raised brow- somehow Solstice knew that he was giving her a raised-eyebrow look, even though his face was covered by his suit of armour, "It's nothing." Solstice said, trying to dismiss the question's answer. Iron-man gave her another strange look.

"Can we do something now?" Reptil asked, shifting his feet to and fro on the tiled floor, quite bored. Iron-man turned toward Reptil and nodded, "Show me what she can do." He said, pointing towards Solstice.

Reptil nodded in anticipation and smiled at Solstice, "Let's start!" He exclaimed, as he hopped into the area, Solstice following meekly behind him.

Suddenly, those great big holograms sprang up out of the ground- looking just as ugly as they had before. Nothing changed, and Solstice relaxed a bit. Regularity was always good thing. The Holograms moved suddenly and jerkily, all rushing straight towards Solstice. Solstice tried not to scream, but she did whimper slightly. Solstice knew it would take a few years until she ever got use to those things rushing down at her- or decades. The nearest Doom-Bot, and a few others, combusted into tiny fragments, right in front of Iron-Man. He gawked, and stared- as with Solstice just looking at them, they burst into fragments.

Then, out of nowhere, a large, rather menacing looking hologram ran at Solstice. Solstice stared at it, feeling her fear rise up. This one didn't seem to be like the others- it didn't have that jerky movement, or that little glitch in it, so that Solstice could tell it was a hologram. Even its eyes seemed more real- Wait! Holograms had that black-eye thing going on! This one has _red-eyes_!

Solstice thought that now, with a real Doom-Bot coming after her, was as good as any to scream. So that's what she did.

The Doom-Bot twitched for a second, but still kept walking. Suddenly, its leg gave out underneath it, and it fell to the ground, twitching as well as groaning pitifully. If Solstice hadn't been so _afraid_, she might have felt sorry for it. Reptil, having heard Solstice's scream, ran over to see what was the matter. Solstice was standing there, holding herself tightly as she stared blankly at the Hologram before her. Only, Reptil knew it wasn't a Hologram- he had fought enough Doom-Bots to tell when it was real or fake, "I never." Reptil muttered as he looked at the twitching form of a real Doom-Bot. For some reason that Reptil didn't know, he wrapped his arm around Solstice's shoulder. Solstice relaxed slightly, and leaned into his arm.

Iron-Man walked over, giving Solstice a comforting look first, and inspected the twitching Hologram. He had already guessed what it really was, but he had to make sure, "It's a real Doom-Bot!" He exclaimed, and Solstice whimpered, causing to Reptil squeezed her shoulder.

"No wonder it looked so- so, _scary_." Solstice mumbled to herself, but everyone heard anyway.

Iron-Man lifted a brow, "Scary?" He questioned.

"Iron-Man, remember how we found her." Reptil admonished.

Solstice's face went stark-white, as she remembered how she must have been found. Of course, she saw them coming- tried to fight so she would still be alive when they found her, but it didn't work. They overpowered her. There gruelling faces, horrid pounding- that huge beating, which still hadn't disappeared on Solstices body. It would, _does,_ mark a day Solstice will never forget. How they kept coming and _coming_- Solstice still had nightmares. The horrible pain- Oh, the _pain_! Solstice took a step back from the Doom-Bot, and Reptil's arm fell away. Solstice stared shaking uncontrollably. Neither noticed, as they were busy asking each other how a Doom-Bot could have gotten in. Solstice felt like crying, at the sight of the Doom-Bot, as well as a good urge to puke her guts out. She felt absolutely terrified- more so, then of her unfathomable fear of heights. But she got over it, and she had the Hulk to thank for that- at least she _thinks_ she got over it.

"We have to keep a good eye on her, Reptil," Iron-Man said, dragging Solstice back to the conversation, "If Doom could get a Doom-Bot in here, unnoticed, he really wants this fractal- meaning that he knows _something _about it."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well under inspection-"

"How did you manage _that_!"

Iron-Man glanced at Solstice, before whispering something in Reptil's ear- Solstice really didn't want to know anyway.

"…fractal… very powerful one… more protection…"

Solstice kept fazing in and out of the conversation that Iron-Man and Reptil were having- She really REALLY wanted to get out of there. The bad feeling in her gut was just getting worse, and the need to puke had risen. Tears threatened to fall, and Solstice just couldn't handle almost being killed, a _second _time. She couldn't take it- She just wasn't a Hero-person. Before Solstice felt like relieving her gut, she walked out of there- and the feelings disappeared, besides her immense fear. She knew that that wouldn't go away anytime soon. Solstice then started to run down the hall, all her fears making her feel like she was choking- She needed fresh air, and she needed it fast.

Solstice bounded out the door that lead to the outside-top layer of the Heli-carrier, she breathed in deeply and her fears slowly slide away. She even risked smiling slightly.

"Heh heh heh."

That smile soon disappeared, as Solstice realised she wasn't alone on the Heli-carrier. Two figures were standing in the middle, and were smiling gruellingly at her. Her fears returned full force, as she knew she wouldn't have her Reptil to save her this time. Before Solstice to think of why she thought _her Reptil_, the two figures advanced- as well as they argued with themselves.

"I'll grab her!" M.O.D.O.K screamed at Abomination, as he zoomed toward Solstice, his beady eyes glaring at her.

"No! You are _puny_! Abomination will take her!" Abomination yelled back, running towards her, hands out-stretched.

"What? So you can get all the credit! No! I don't think so!" The two descended upon her, and Solstice shrunk back- her fear, again got the upper hand, and she skirted away- and the two crashed into the door behind her.

"WHY YOU!" M.O.D.O.K yelled, as he ripped himself away from the door-frame and floated determinedly at Solstice, "Enough games! You will come with us _little girl_." M.O.D.O.K sneered, as he extended his puny arms toward her. Solstice backed up, un aware that she was anywhere near the edge of the Heli-carrier. M.O.D.O.K did and he smiled with delight, as he noticed a sure-fire way to capture the little pest.

"Boo!" M.O.D.O.K said, as Solstice was right on the edge of the Heli-carrier. Solstice screamed, which sent M.O.D.O.K flying backwards, as well as she fell down, towards what she thought was her ultimate doom. Solstice screamed more, so loud, so deafing- that her whole wrist began to glow. The air around her circled and swooped, seeming to create a cushion for her to land in- The Heli-carrier shifted and shook, and groans could be heard from it. Lights inside fizzled then popped and windows shook, then broke. The wind howled, as it tried to slow the girl down with blowing her up and making her landing softer. Again, if Solstice hadn't been so _afraid_, she would have found this particularly awesome. Despite natures desperate attempts, Solstice still kept falling hard and fast- down… down… down. Solstice, choking on her fear, couldn't seem to find her voice to utter another scream. Still, heights- she hated them. Hulk had to work on that some more. Solstice was falling down, and suddenly she started to fall slowly- she had reached the top building, and that was when she started to slow down- the building itself seemed to bend down with her, as if it was trying to catch her. Wind howled in her ear, and some all-together other force seemed to be slowing her descent. The gravity around her seemed to thin out, and she was falling slower and slower. Solstice then touched the ground, as all people around her just glanced at her then walked on. They guessed that some Super-Hero had used his telekinesis to save her- it was an everyday occurrence here, nothing unusual. When Solstice landed on fully on the ground, Reptil swooped down, looking really worried and even- _scared_? Solstice felt awed that she could cause someone like Reptil to worry about _her_.

"Solstice!" Reptil said, as he swooped down on his wings, and landed- transforming back into his own self, "Are you okay?"

"Yea- Yeah… I'm f-fine." Solstice said, a bit shaky. Solstice took a great strain not to run right into Reptil's arms, like she really _**REALLY **_wanted to.

"Are you sure? You don't sound alright!" His voice was edged with worry, and it made Solstice feel even more of that weird sensation she had felt before- Her mind clicked, and she thought, _Maybe I do love him! Why else would I feel this way? Why else would I want to hug the very God outta him? _"Really- really, I'm fine." Solstice said, her voice less shaky. Solstice thought she had Reptil to thank for that. _Maybe I DO love Reptil_. Solstice wrist flashed a deep purple and all the bending of the buildings vanished, as well as the smidgen of fear she still had left of her fall down from the Heli-carrier.

"Wow!" Reptil exclaimed, as he stared at the shining fractal in her wrist, "What _were _you thinking of?"

Solstice blushed a bit, but was thankful Reptil didn't notice, "Well, um- I was thinking, err about…" Solstice was spared from having to tell him what she was thinking, as a VERY angry, VERY _messy _Iron-Man flew down and landed beside them. Iron-Man glowered at Solstice, and she knew that something really _REALLY _bad had gone on inside the Heli-carrier, "Reptil." Iron-Man said in a very sinister calm-like voice, "Can I have a word with you? You _alone?_"

"Yeah." Reptil sighed- he knew whatever Iron-Man was going to say, it wasn't going to be good. Solstice watched them leave, and was plagued with guilt, _I probably cost him his position on the Squad! Speaking of the squad…_

Solstice somehow- without opening her eyes at _all_- flew up to the interior of the Heli-carrier- where she was greeted by the Angry Squad-members. They were all glaring at her, save from Hulk, as he was laughing at the most of them- seeming not to be harmed in the least. Wolverine was all dishevelled, a sticky red substance dripping off of him- not blood, and Solstice was relieved. She didn't want him to be bleeding! But of course, he's Wolverine, so how could some mundane thing hurt him? He had adamantine bones! The Silver Surfer, and Thor both had an ice-patches attached to various parts of their body. Falcon had Redwing attached to his hip, with what seemed to be glue. But the one thing was that Wolverine was glaring way darker at her then any other Squadie- unless you counted Iron-Man, but he wasn't around.

None of them said a word to her.

Solstice felt extremely guilty. She knew that she had caused all of that- the glue thing, she wasn't all too sure about- but she had made all that happen to them, and all they did was give her a home to stay in- Was this the type of thanks they got? Solstice asked them all if they wanted something for her to do- anything to get their frowns off their faces, but none said they wanted her help. They all wanted her to leave.

Solstice bowed her head at them, and walked off. She knew when she wasn't wanted anymore. Solstice walked down the destroyed hall- yet not noticing as she passed it, it seemingly cleaned itself all up. In fact, the whole Heli-carrier was alight in a purple glow, cleaning everything and fixing the windows, and replacing the bulbs. But Solstice didn't notice any of that, as she was too distraught in her guilt to notice. Solstice kept on walking, her head hung low- trying to come up with some way to help them all. She wouldn't use her fractal- no, it caused to much trouble already. But Solstice stopped dead when she heard shouting coming from one of the doors. Her wrist, by then, had stopped glowing.

"- She's a _menace _Reptil!" Solstice heard the unmistakable voice of Iron-Man, "We have to get rid of her! Take that fractal somehow out of her wrist, and send her on her way! We can't let her keep _destroying _things!"

"Yes, Iron-Man. But why? Can't we train her more-?"

"No! We can't! Did you NOT just SEE what she did!"

"Yes I did, and you're right but-"

"Yes! Reptil, she's a danger to EVERYONE! Reptil! She could hurt _innocent _people with that fractal!"

"Yes, Iron-Man but-"

Solstice stood, staring at the door in disbelief, How can Iron-Man say that? Why is Reptil agreeing? How could he agree about that? Solstice felt like her world was shattering- Reptil! Saying she was a menace! How could he say that?

"No! No buts! She not, only destroyed the Heli-carrier, she did it twice! She hurt our crew, and possible some citizens with that stunt she pulled!"

"I know but-"

"No! Reptil, you're not _listening_! She's caused Doom to take immediate actions, and put our codes and secrets in danger! We can't have his henchmen bursting in every second of the day!"

"So? We'll just kick them out-"

"_So? So? _Unwillingly, they could stumble upon something important, BEFORE we kick them out! Not to mention Ms. Marvel is on our tails! Having broken walls in here, isn't going to lighten her mood!"

"Yes, Iron-Man."

"So, are we going to send her home?"

A big sigh filled the room, and then silence.

"Yes, Iron-Man." Reptil replied, after a few moments of grueling silence.

"Good."

Solstice stepped back from the door, horror dawning on her face, _He wants me gone? How could he! He agreed! _"No… No…" Solstice whispered, as she turned around and started to walk away swiftly, "He couldn't have!" _But he did_. Solstice started to walk faster, feeling her whole body come apart- it felt as if the world she knew was being ripped from right underneath her feet. Her wrist glowed a light purple, but Solstice covered it, "No, don't." She whispered, and the glow faded, "I wouldn't want to hurt him." Solstice sobbed, and she started running. She could just hear the tumblers on the door moving, and it opening for Reptil to walk out off. Solstice ran by the Squad- looking much better. Wolverine wasn't dripping in that red goo, Thor and Silver Surfer didn't have the ice-patches on them, and Falcon wasn't glued to Redwing anymore. It was a short lived relief, as she heard pounding feet behind her_. I'm being condemned_, She thought, _and all of them must have been in on it- Besides the Hulk, he was too innocent by half, _Solstice thougth, as he looked at Solstice with confusion written all over his face. _He can be forgiven, as it was clear he wasn't in on this. All the others have guilty looks- they knew what was going to happen_- it hurt Solstice to know that they knew. _How could I have fallen for Reptil? He must not even LIKE me, if would want me gone! None of them like me! None! _Solstice could just barely hear her name being called, but it only made her resolve to get out faster. Her heart hurt, and her vision started to go blurry. She could just feel wetness on her cheeks, and she knew that she was crying. Solstice ran, without knowing where, just trying to get away.

"Solstice!" Reptil called. Solstice knew it was him, for she could never mistake his voice for anyone else's, "Come back!"

_So what? You can humiliate me? So you can kick me out? Rip this fractal from my arm, and then dump me off?_ But despite her angry thoughts, when Reptil called her name, she almost collapsed. But, she held firm, and ran faster. Solstice burst through a door, and noticed she was on the roof.

"Solstice!"

Solstice was getting desperate. She looked around, but found nowhere to go- besides down, "Solstice!" The voice was only muffled slightly now, and that meant he was close- Close to kick her off- break her heart more. Solstice eyed the edge of the roof warily, but knew it was her only way out. She ran over to it, and jumped. But instead of falling, she flew- like she wanted to. She wanted to just fly away from her hurt so bad, and the fractal was giving her some of it. She was flying away from what caused it, but her flight was cut short- as evil laughter rang out from behind her, and shadow swamped her vision. A cold hand covered her mouth, and something hard hit the back of her neck. She blacked out.

* * *

"Solstice!" Reptil cried, but he knew it was too late. She had already fled the premises. She was gone. Reptil ran to the edge of the roof, looking down hoping she wasn't falling to her doom- she wasn't. Reptil looked up and noticed M.O.D.O.K and Abomination flying away- or at least M.O.D.O.K flying away, with Abomination jumping off buildings that were high enough. Reptil shouted, "Tyrannosaurus eyes!" And his head grew into the Tyrannosaurus-Head. He squinted at the horizon, looking at Abomination. He could just make out Abomination carry something with dark brown hair.

"No!" Reptil called out, as his head shrunk back into its original form, "No! Not to Doom!" He exclaimed, his voice rising in his worry. Reptil wanted so badly to go after Abomination and kick his butt for taking Solstice- but he knew he couldn't. He would surely get kicked off the team, and Iron-Man was already mad at him. Reptil, then as fast as he could- with the help of his raptor-legs- ran back to Iron-Mans room, and tell Iron-Man what he saw, then go book it after Solstice. But Iron-Man wasn't there, so he turned around and ran towards the Living Room.

_Darn it! _Reptil thought, _I let Doom get his filthy hands on Solstice!_

"Solstice has been stolen!" Reptil cried, as he turned into the living room, and ran into… Ms. Marvel.

"_WHAT?_"Ms. Marvel exclaimed, as she turned to glare at the Squad- who were all lounging out on the couches- un aware of what happened, "Oh! You guys BETTER go get her back! Or you can just say good-bye to your jobs!"

"Reptil!" Iron-Man protested, "How could you let her get taken-?"

"Well, it _would _have been what _you _wanted! She ran off, because she _heard you _and then got taken!"

"What did Iron-Man say that would make my niece run off?" Ms. Marvel said, glaring daggers at Iron-Man.

"Yeah!" Hulk say, turning to look at Iron-Man as well, "What did Shiny-Metal-Man say that make Pretty-Lady cry and run away?"

"_You made her cry!_"

Reptil gave Iron-Man his own look, "Iron-Man can explain _that_." He hissed. He didn't think that Solstice should be taken away, more training and other things would have made her much better, and less dangerous- But Iron-Man hadn't wanted to listen. So he could now, to Ms. Marvel.

"heh, heh- Well about that…" Iron-Man started, smiling slightly, hoping to get off a little lightly. (FAT CHANCE)

In fact, Reptil had felt so angered that Iron-Man wanted Solstice to leave, that he felt like just giving him a sound kick. It was peculiar, how angered he had, and still was, about Iron-Man's announcement. He couldn't show Iron-Man his anger, of course- unless he wanted off the team. Iron-Man saw what Iron-Man saw, and what he thought would see fit. And, to him, getting rid of Solstice was the best solution.

"You wanted to what?" Ms. Marvel screamed, causing Reptil to come back to the present, "_Why you-!_"

Several huge words and ones that can't be spoken here later…

Reptil's eyes were huge saucers, and Iron-Man was stunned speechless. It was Reptil who broke the silence, "Wow!" He said, which caused a seething Ms. Marvel to look at him, "I didn't know Super-heroes could _use _those words!"

Ms. Marvel ignored that, and went back to glaring death at Iron-Man, "Don't you think that it would _hurt _her! Taking it out of her _skin_? How could you put one of my own family members at _risk_?"

"Why do you care so much?" Iron-Man had to ask. He'd never know Ms. Marvel to care about _anything _besides S.H.I.E.L.D equipment.

"Because Iron-Man! Do I have to explain things to you? Ohh... well you might as well know. I hate to say it, but her mom wasn't the best mom in the world. She's my half-sister, and I really don't know a thing about her! Besides that she must have treated Solstice like _dirt_." Ms. Marvel sneered, "Anyway- Her husband must not be as great either- I wanted to _so badly_ take her away- especially after some things I have saw in our Family-Get-Togethers. Solstice was always the sweet- but she acted so _scared _of everything! Like, something was going to jump out and _eat her!_ Oh, especially to her sister! She was down-right _terrified_ of her sister! It was just so _horrible!_"

"Wow..." Iron-Man and Reptil said together. They had _never _seen Ms. Marvel act _this way._ That was a really bad sign. Iron-Man started to have doubts- a lot of them.

"One time- one time, Solstice came up to me, and whispered something in my ear, do you want to know what it is?"

"Umm..." They hesitated. They didn't know if they really wanted to or not- Ms. Marvel's voice sounded so desolate.

"She said 'I wish _you_ were my mom'"

_**Ohh... crap man! Ms. Marvel is P-I-double S and E-D! Iron-Man, you did it THIS time! And what do you think will happen next, hmm?**_

_**- Calm-Waters**_


	8. Sisterly Affections

_**Disclaimer; I do not own SHSS characters or anything from that or Marvel Studios and whatnot. Please review!**_

_**And, I am really sorry for not updating sooner! I am completely in fault to this atrocity, and I really hope that you all can forgive me for this. ^^ I am nearing the end of this story, and I hope that I will update sooner than my slow, groggy pace of being slow and lazy. ^^**_

_Sisterly Affections_

Solstice woke up slowly, groggily. Her head was pounding painfully, and she felt a little sick. She raised her hand to rub her head, but found that they were tied tightly to the cage she was surrounded in. Solstice tried to bite back a scream that threatened to break lose. It wouldn't do to be afraid, in a situation that she could hardly do anything about. Slowly breathing in and out, Solstice found that her fear was starting the edge away. Clearing her mind, Solstice gradually brought her hand up to her cage. Breathing in once more, her hand alighted with purple before shooting off at the cage.

Solstice began to smile, as her beam of light met the cage. Yet, her smile disappeared as suddenly as it _appeared_, for not only did her Fractal-trick _not work_, her beam of light ricochet back towards her, "OW!" Solstice cried out, as her beam of light bounded into her arm. Trying to rub the offending spot, it only caused Solstice to trip over herself. Landing awkwardly on her knees, for the restrains on her wrist would not allow her to fall on her butt. Cringing from her wrist being jarred by that display of clumsiness. Looking up at her wrist from the awkward position, she could see that where her attempt to break free landed on her arm, it had created a great big scorch mark. The clothing that had surrounded that area was burnt, and the surrounding cloth was shredded. A large, very pink scorch was showing between the burnt bits of flesh and cloth. Solstice winced at the throbbing pain it emitting.

Sighing and closing her eyes, Solstice hoped for her rescue to come soon. Her legs felt weak underneath her, and her arm throbbed with pain. Suddenly, her whole arm started to tingle. Shocked, Solstice looked up at her arm, where a band of dark, sinister green was taking hold. Her arm was tingling horribly now, and the green was stretching up and down her arm.

"Hello?" Solstice called out, in the dark gloom of the room she was being held captive in. Her voice was a small quiver above the never-ending silence of the room, "Who's doing this?" Solstice demanded of the darkness, but no one answered, "Please! Stop! It's really hurting!" Solstice cried out, as she tried to pull her arm away.

"Exactly what I want, my dear." A cold voice called out in the darkness, and Solstice froze in her struggles.

"Who's- Who's there?" Solstice quivered, and the voice laughed.

"Why, I'm _Dr. Doom!_"The voice exclaimed, as a shadow-y figure stepped out of the dark gloom. Solstice gasped, as she saw a metallic face glowering down at her, its features twisted up in a smile. A large flowing green hood was overtop the metallic face, and it expanded down into a large flowing cloak. Metallic hands came up to clap sarcastically at her, as his glittering eyes regarded the burn on her skin.

"Alas, my dear, I am _not_ the one hurting you. Not yet anyway." A twisted smile found its way onto Dooms features, and Solstice shuddered at the horrible effect it had on the man.

"If you are not hurting me, who is?" Solstice demanded, although the threat in her voice was lost in the fear that over took her, "Wait- What do you mean not _yet_?" Solstice trembled, as a smile was back on Doom's face.

"Well, I have to remove that Fractal _somehow_ now don't I?" Doom's voice alighted, as he gazed greedily down at the Fractal embedded in the skin of her wrist. He clapped his hands, delighted at where everything was going, "Good thing _you_ decided to sneak out of the HeliCarrier! They would never think of coming here to look for _you_,after you ran off like that." Dr. Doom explained, as he walked closer and closer to her prison. Solstice tried to shift back from his greedy gaze, but found she couldn't. Her chains rattled in protest, and her arm burned harder.

"Who's doing this to me?" Solstice gritted out, her teeth clenched together in pain. Tears of frustration, as well as pain, feel down her cheeks, and Doom smirked at her. He lifted a lazy hand towards the gloomy darkness, and began a beckoning motion, "You can come out now," He purred into the darkness, turning to smile at Solstice wickedly.

A girl, a little ways older then Solstice, appeared out of the shadows. In fact, she looked much like Solstice, only with deep auburn hair instead of stark black. Her eyes, and a pendant around her neck, glowed the same colour that was wrapped around Solstice's arm.

"Hello." The girl greeted Solstice, with a cold hard attitude.

"My dear, I would like you to meet-"

"Athena." Solstice whispered under her breath, as fear took hold of her.

Solstice was afraid of many things, but the one thing that stood like a beacon around everything that terrified her was her sister. Her sister made all her fears fly away, for _she_ was the one that Solstice feared most. Her fear of her sister was horrible and terribly strong. Now, Solstice hadn't always been afraid of things. In actually fact, she had been quite brave during her childhood- Especially since she had kept the shiny purple/pink rock. She had been especially brave after that.

Yet, that all changed when Athena got back from boarding school. Their parents couldn't deal with a child _and_ a baby at the same time- So, much to Athena's displeasure, they sent her away to boarding school.

Solstice was only 3 when Athena, 5, came back from boarding school. Solstice had run up, to greet her sister, but Athena shoved her aside. Running towards her parents, she left Solstice in the dust. Things escaladed from there.

Athena was always an aggressive girl, and she seemed to enjoy showing off her superior strength to Solstice any chance she got. Solstice remembered all the times she had, and knew that Athena was careful not to harm her face. That would show too much, and be hard to cover up with lies. So it was her arms, and torso she targeted.

At the age of 6 Solstice was completely and utter terrified of her sister. She would do everything to make sure she stayed with her parents, for at least then she wouldn't get hurt. Yet, Athena found other ways to make her terrified.

Setting up things around Solstice, would cause what their parents dubbed 'Accidents'. Like a malfunctioning burner, that would just happen to burn Solstice. A rabid dog set loose near the front yard. A large rose placed in her bed to prick her. At the age of 7 Solstice began fearing to touch anything, and she would jump at any noise, small or loud. She would constantly hide in her room, where she knew Athena wouldn't get her. Athena may be evil, but she respected someone else's space. She learned that the hard way at Boarding School.

"What- What- What are you doing here-here- here?" Solstice squeaked out at her sister, as she shrank back in fear of what her sister would do to her.

"I joined the dark side, _nimrod_ what do _you_ think!" Athena spat out at her sister, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Solstice flinched as they kept gazing at her.

"Why?" Solstice croaked out, flinching as it came out of her mouth. Goosebumps raised on her arms, as Athena glowered down at her.

"Why? _Why?_" Athena shouted, as her pendant and eyes glowed darker. Solstice gasped at the pain escalading in her arm, "Because you _snot-nosed brat_ got Mom and Dad for three freaking years! _By yourself!_ I only had them for myself for _two years!_ It's what you deserve! I could have shared! I could have! But _you_ had to be all fussy, thus making me get sent _away!_" Athena screamed at her, as she lifted her arm up, and swung it dramatically. Solstice sobbed, as her arm twisted in a way that arms are not suppose to twist. It didn't help matters, which her wrist couldn't bend along with her arm. Athena kept swinging her arm in the direction, until she heard a satisfying _snap!_ And could see Solstice's tears streaming down her face.

"That's quite enough, Athena." Doom's voice called out in the darkness, for he had already made his way towards the door, "We want her in piece, for now, until we get that fractal out. _Then_ you can have her in which form you choose."

Athena nodded, and sighed, before glaring up at Solstice with a sinister look, "You will get your penance for being so spoiled," Athena muttered darkly, before taking off after Doom. Solstice stared helplessly after them, her tears going down her face. She looked at her arm, then immediately looked away, for it was twisted in a horrible fashion. Trying to call on her fractal, to aid her once more in her pain, she found she couldn't find it. Seeing the green light lay softly over her wrist, for which her fractal laid, Solstice knew she could not call on it any longer. Athena had created something that stopped even the power of the Fractal.

Solstice bent her head in defeat, as sobs raked her entire body. Tears of pain, and of utter hopelessness flowed freely down her face.

"If Zeus is forgiving, he'll send Reptil to me."

* * *

Reptil hated just standing here. It was horrible, and totally not what he thought "Plan Detta" was. He had thought that they would take Villain Ville by storm, and demand the release of Solstice. He had hoped that he would have daringly burst down the door that held her captive, and save her like a hero should. Not just stand around here, waiting to hear the process of Iron-Man's stealth mission.

Reptil growled. He really really hated this. Yet, the fault was all on his shoulders, for he was the one that completely flipped out, causing him to have the 'back seat' in the mission. The thing was, Reptil didn't really even _know_ why he flipped out. He just did. After hearing Iron-Man's 'methodical way' of retracting Solstice, he had exclaimed that _that_ was too slow!

"They would have already done something horrible to her!" Reptil proclaimed to Iron-Man, but he wouldn't hear it.

"Reptil, how do we even _know_ that she is there? She could be somewhere inside SuperHero City right now…"

"Of course she is!" Reptil had replied, "She has a _Fractal!_ Of course Dr. Doom would want it! Why can't you see the logic, Iron-Man? What is with you! _She could be mortally injured right now, and you don't even seem to care!_"

Iron-Man stood up at that point, "Reptil! I _do care._ She is part of this team, and everyone in this team is-"

"_Part of this team? PART of this team?_ You were going to take out the fractal _then_ kick her out! What part of this makes you think she is _part of the team?_"

"I- uhh, I…"

"If she has even _one_ piece of her _injured_ in any way, I am blaming it on you! If you hadn't wanted her gone, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"That's enough, Reptil! If you feel so strongly about this, you can't be placed in such an important position. Your feelings would be a risk to everyone around you! You are staying here, and that's final!"

"Fine!" Reptil had exclaimed, before slamming the door in Iron-Man's face.

Sitting on the couch, where he was now, Reptil pondered _why_ he had said all those things. Sighing dejectedly, Reptil placed his head in his hands.

"Man, I bet I'm going to be fired _for sure._" Reptil moaned, as he scuffed the floor with his foot, "Why did I even say all those things? Why did I do that?"

"Man that was a good shouting match between you and Iron-Man." The Falcon stated, as he sat down beside Reptil.

"Why are you here?"

"Because they don't need me. I may be fast, but that's only in the sky. I'd slow them all down- At least, that's what Iron-Man said. You know, he _is_ taking this really seriously. He doesn't want Solstice in the hands of Doom, just like you."

"Yeah, but that's only because she still has the fractal. I'm worried about _her._ What if Doom did something?"

"Well, you're just going to have to face it. It's not like she didn't almost die when we found her."

"Huh, yeah." Reptil grunted in reply, as he turned away from Falcon. Falcon gave his buddy an once-over, "You know, you are really over-protective of her. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you have a crush on her."

"A crush? On Solstice?" Reptil echoed, as he turned to look at Falcon. Falcon grinned, and started to laugh, "Yeah. Wouldn't that just top the cake? But, really, she's too timid for me. I mean, she's afraid of everything, and she's…" Falcon stopped as he got a certain look from Reptil. Suddenly, everything started to piece together, "No way! You do?" Falcon cried in disbelief, as Reptil looked down at the floor once more.

"Man it must be rough." Falcon concluded, as he got up from his seat, "No wonder you blew up in Iron-Man's face."

_**Alright, totally terrible- I know, I know. I am horrible with this for being so OOC'y and that is just BLECK. -.- Anyway, I really hope you at least enjoyed it enough to like it enough to review. Or hated it enough to review that you hated it. Either one. **_

_**I just hope there is more "liked it" then not. -.-**_

_**- Calm-Waters**_


	9. Rescuee to Rescuer

_**Disclaimer: I do not own SHSS at all, or any such of the sort.**_

_**Alright! I am totally and COMPLETELY REALLY UTTERLY SORRY FOR SO MUCH, THAT IT HURTS! I did not mean to take long to write this… but I had it ALMOST DONE! And then my flash-drive, jump-drive WHATEVER broke! And it was ALL GONE! I nearly cried! I did! I was SO ANGRY AT MYSELF FOR THIS! But, still, that is really no excuse for not writing up as much as I could… but yeah, I am totally really sorry about this. Really I am.**_

_**And I know… New season has come out, but since this was started in the LAST season, it should be Oka, right? Well, whatever. I'll continue on, since this is probably the last chapter. It was nearing its end, anyway. **_

_Chapter 9; Rescuee to Rescuer_

Solstice watched blearily as the shadows crept across the walls of her confined room. The shackles on her hands jangled, as she unknowingly trembled. Pain would have been oozing out every pore of her body, yet she was in the all-great-relieved numb state; meaning that her body was just on the brink of collapse. Even though Solstice's body was in a state of numbness, it did not mean her mind was. Her mind was constantly aware of how empty and dark it was in this cage of hers. Possibilities of how horrible her life would end, swirled on and on in her brain. She wasn't constantly without hope, though. Oh no, her mind would conjure up hapless fantasies of her _rescuers_ to come and save her, only to have her mind turn over and mock hers_elf_ for coming up with them.

Minutes before, Dr. Doom had entered her room- without Athena, Solstice was glad to note. He gloated over his capture of the fractal that she possessed. He claimed battles of victory on how he had achieved it, knowing that in her weakened state she'd believe anything he'd tell her. Which, was actually what happened.

As the stories spat from Dr. Doom's mouth, Solstice's mind began to weave a strange fantasy of how she had been captured (with the help of Doctor Doom, of course). It had been after she had run away, yet Reptil was able to catch up with her. In her angered, and saddened state, she had _lashed out at him_. All the other squad members had come to defend Reptil from her hormonal self, and that was when Dr. Doom had taken advantage of the situation. Effectively using Solstice's own rage for his personal gain, Dr. Doom was able to bodily injure most of the Squad, while capturing Solstice to take her fractal power. He then locked her up, in this small cage, and brought her sister here to torment her, and amuse himself.

After he had thoroughly explained his own actions in the capturing of Solstice, he began to explain his plans for the use of her fractal. He smiled thinly as he began to talk of how he would get it out of her arm. He then told how he would completely destroy the Super Hero Squad with the power of the fractal she had. With a sneer and a sinister look, Doom began to laugh, "And it will all be thanks to _you_, my dear." His eyes flashed malice, and the look he gave her was filled with unforeseen pain. His tone of voice dripped with future victory and complete obliteration of many innocent people. Doom was solitarily confident that his whole scheme would- _no_, will- work. "It will be the end of the Super Hero Squad," Doom announced triumphantly to Solstice, before he took his leave.

After Doom left, the words sunk deep into Solstice half-working brain. She sluggishly clinked all the pieces together, as she began to prove to herself that she had caused all of this mess. Her shoulders slumped even further in defeat, as she realized that _everything_- and she meant _everything_- that had ever happened was solely her fault. In fact, the bug that was starving on the other side of her cage, could blame her for his state. It was her fault anyway, so why shouldn't he? With her thoughts churning deep inside of her head, Solstice's unseeing eyes stared at the flickering shadows of the wall.

That is, until the door opened a second time.

Solstice looked up momentarily from her bleak and mindless staring. Containing the instinctive urge to scream, and the large bubble of fear, which rose up as the person entering her prison introduced herself. Solstice nervously started once again to stare at the wall, in hopes of being ignored. She kept her blank expression on her face, knowing that any emotion shown would give Athena the advantage. _Don't show your fear, don't show your fear, don't show your fear._ Chanted on and on in her head.

Solstice couldn't keep herself from trembling, no matter how hard she tried. Desperate, Solstice shook harder with her silent pleas to stop shaking. It was all for nothing, as Athena's smiling face crept into her dank prison, entering her mind.

"Hello, sister, dearest." Athena stated in a syrupy voice, her eyes a dark, indecipherable colour, "Are you feeling a little cold? Do you need a blanket? You're shaking ever so much." Suddenly, Athena eyes sharpened in their gaze, "Are you even listening to me? Solstice! Stop staring at the god _damn _wall!" In her own fury, Athena stomped on the ground, creating a giant dent in the metal.

However Solstice kept staring. She couldn't help it. With her own sorrowful thoughts twisting around in her brain, she began to think she shouldn't _deserve_ to look at anyone- even if it was her sister. Suddenly, Athena's face came into Solstice's view, but Solstice turned her head. _Besides, Athena is scary._

"You are a coward! A weakling!" Athena snarled, as she prowled around Solstice's prison in her anger. Her own fractal glowed with her emotion, "You couldn't even face me all those years ago! You bloody little coward, and _now_ you're being too cowardly to even save your_self_ let alone your friends!"

Solstice bleakly looked at the wall, her sisters words making her sink deeper into her depression. "You're right. But you would have killed me." Solstice voice was as stark as the walls she was staring at, and as soft as the rattles of her chains had become. She didn't even realize that Athena had heard her until she responded.

"That was the whole point!" Athena snarled darkly, sticking her head right in Solstice's face, "I am better then you! So I should kill you, because you are _weaker_. Inferior! _Do you know_, that I can control every molecule- Every _atom_ in your body!" Terse silence followed that remark, but only for a second, "Yes! Completely and utterly under my control!" Athena was seething, heaving deep breaths to calm herself. Her younger sibling's bleak staring at the wall was getting on her nerves, and she couldn't understand why. It was the signal that showed her sister was weakening, that she was giving up- But somehow that wasn't enough for Athena. She wanted Solstice to look her in the eyes as she destroyed her hopes- yet, she wasn't getting that. "I can slowly rip you apart! Piece. By. Bloody. Piece!" Twisting her arm around, and dragging it downwards, Athena watched with cold amusement as her sister withered uselessly around in her cage.

Suddenly, Solstice's eyes flashed to Athena's. They burned a bright pink colour, as Solstice gave her sister a death glare. "You make Hades look like Oprah!" She spat out at her sister, a seething, twisting anger rising up and burning inside her mind. _She wants to hurt my friends. She wants to kill me. She wants to KILL MY FRIENDS. She wants to KILL REPTIL._

If Athena was shaken by her sisters untimely resistance against the attempts to bring her hopes down, she didn't show it. Instead, she gave her sister a coy smile, before stating, "You and your mythology." Athena chuckled slightly, before disappearing out the door she came in.

"You're a monster." Solstice whispered back at her, but her words were not heavy enough to carry out the door; in fact, they dispersed a few feet shy of it. Truthfully, Solstice bout of resistance and strength had all but drained out of her. She was back to her depressed sorrow, staring at the gloomy wall that held no answers to her problems. In the distance, she could barely hear Doom calling to Athena.

Time moved on, with Solstice staring at the wall, her mind sluggishly spitting out random thoughts, depressed feelings and hopelessness.

_Athena, you have no heart. No soul. And Doom seems to have you wrapped around his little finger._

* * *

He felt completely horrible.

Oh, Reptil felt _incredibly _horrible. He so desperately wanted to run and check how everybody was doing- He wanted to _so bad._ There was this niggling sensation that they were too late. Doom had already hurt Solstice enough… enough to-

_No!_ Reptils' mind rebelled against his next thoughts. He couldn't think that way! He _could not!_

Reptil decided then, and there, that he was going to break his promise. Iron Man would have to _**deal with it.**_

Falcon's early muttering of condolences to being attracted to Solstice started ringing around in his brain, threatening to drive him crazy. They repeated in his head like a broken record.

"_Dude, must be rough. Not only is she hopeless and timid. She's also captured. She could, like, be dead- or dying- right now, and we wouldn't even know it! Imagine, she's probably calling your name right now 'Reptil, why didn't you come for me?'" Falcon sighed, giving Reptil a pitying, sympathetic glance, "It must REALLY suck to have a hopeless __**CAUGHT **__person as a crush…"_

"_Falcon! You are NOT helping right now!"_ That had been a few minutes ago- Which, to Reptil, felt like hours. He had to go. He had to go find her and see if she was alright. His mind couldn't take any more of this relentless worry about her welfare. It was wearing him out.

He planned to sneak out. Right then. Right there.

What else could he do?

* * *

Iron Man's mission to collect Solstice wasn't going according to the immaculate laid plan he had created- In his head. It had the ending of his victory over Dr. Doom and Solstice out of evil hands. He hadn't counted on Dr. Doom's new ability to be a _good _bad guy. They had met with trap after trap after trap_ after trap_. It was getting quite annoying, if he had to say so himself.

"Verily, this is the tenth trap we've cometh across!" Thor exclaimed, as the doom bots upon the mile started pouring out of secret passages in Doom's labyrinth of a castle. All the other squad members present agreed with him, as Hulk led the way, crashing through all the 'evil doctor tinmen'.

"I had it figured we would have reached Solstice by now." Iron Man replied glumly, as he watched Hulk rip apart a string of robots.

"Hey, don't take it so hard on yourself, bub." Wolverine said in an uncharacteristic sympathetic tone, "We all know you messed up royally with Solstice and Reptil. You don't need to voice it." Wolverine patted Iron Man on the back, before springing into action alongside Hulk.

Iron Man gave Wolverine a sour look, "Thanks a lot. That was quite the talk. I feel so much better now."

"Don't mention it!" Wolverine replied cheerfully over the clash of metal on metal. Thor then proceeded to make Iron Man feel better. Silver Surfer floated behind the lot of them, his face contemplative.

"Tis not _what_ thou has spoken, Iron Man, but how thou has spoken _it. _And…" The two paused as a giant part of ripped robot came flying their way, "Tis I agree with Wolverine. Thou hast 'messed up royally'." Iron Man gave Thor the same sour look as he gave Wolverine. Thor then proceeded to go to Hulk and Wolverine, exclaiming something along the lines of "helping fellow comrades".

"There is no right and wrong in this galaxy, Iron Man." Silver Surfer piped up from behind the gloomy tin man. Iron Man cocked a silent brow, but kept on listening to the Surfer, "There is only what has been done and how it is percieved. You cannot undue what you have said, nor change the way you said them. The only thing to reverse the effects of what happened is to fix it- and my metal friend that is which what you are doing now. You cannot focus on the past; merely concentrate on the future and the _now._" With that piece of wisdom, Silver Surfer stopped talking, letting his metal friend digest what he had said.

After a while, Iron Man just sighed, "Well, you're probably right Silver Surfer. Though, later on I will probably build a time machine and this conversation will be moot."

* * *

Reptil was actually quite excited. He had never really disobeyed Iron Man before, and in his teenage rebellion years, it was quite exciting to disobey him. Although, the sprinkle of guilt over his actions was squashed by the thought of that he was doing the right thing- He _was_ trying to save Solstice, which was quite the heroic thing to do.

Reptil actually didn't have any idea where to go. For a while he had followed the Squaddies carnage; the groaning and moaning men, as well as the giant dents that were Hulks footprints in the metal floor. After a few corridors of following the Squaddies trail, Reptil finally decided that he had to turn. He couldn't risk bumping _into_ the Squaddies, considering he had been ordered to _stay at the HeliCarrier_. Solstice _needed_ him, and it wouldn't do her good if he had been sent back before he even found her. Besides what type of secret hero would he be if he **got caught**? _Yeah, I'm so a secret hero! Wait until Iron Man discovers how I rescued Solstice all by myself! I'll sure be a full time Squaddie then!_ _If I'm not thrown off for disobeying orders…_

As the corridors began to dim around him, since the lighting fixtures were becoming farther and farther positioned, Reptil could tell he was getting close to finding Solstice. He _felt it_ in his gut.

Though, it was rumbling, telling him he was getting kind of hungry. So maybe not his gut then… maybe his… psychic gland or something… Nah, gut sounded better.

* * *

Solstice still trapped in the dim little room, with nothing but her terrible horrible thoughts to keep her company was getting somewhat restless. All she could think about was one of the squad coming in, and Athena coming back going, "Hah! What did I tell you? You brought them to their own death!" Then they would start withering in agony… Athena would be laughing…

Oh, Solstice was already becoming sick with the thought of it. She couldn't handle it actually happening.

"Solstice? Solstice where are you?"

Solstice held her breath, _Reptil? Reptil is that you?_

"Reptil?" Solstice choked out, her voice rough. Instantly, she wanted to suck back her voice. _Oh I hope he didn't hear that! He can't come in! He can't come-!_

"Solstice! I found… you." Reptil's voice died as swiftly as it had come. He was horrified by what he was seeing. Solstice's bleary, red-rimmed eyes were staring at him in an odd mixture of hopelessness and fear. Her arms jangled limply from the shackles connected to her wrists. A bubble of undetermined substance was surrounding her in a murky green colour. The whole place reeked of misuse and dampness. The place was dark and creepy, and Solstice tied up in the middle of it looking like a broken rag doll was disheartening. And angering.

"Doom did this to you, didn't he? I'll kill him!"* Reptil swore, his horror mixing in with his anger, causing his harsh words. This was _worse_ than seeing Solstice dead. At least then, he knew she was beyond pain. Here, in this, she was right in the middle of the word torture.

"Actually, I did." A slithery voice came out of the shadows behind the enraged Reptil. Reptil spun around, ready to confront the horrible villain that had touched Solstice.

"Where are you! Come out and fight like a _real man!_" Reptil challenged the darkness.

Deep, dark purple light flashed in the shadows. Suddenly, Reptil's arm was slowly twisting the wrong way. Reptil tried to move his arm, but it was underneath someone else's control. Reptil looked at Solstice, before facing the person in the deep, murky shadows of the hallway.

"A real women, is what I believed you meant to say, hmm?"

* * *

Iron Man looked down at the harried, frantic Falcon, "What do you mean Reptil's _gone?_" He barked into his intercom, completely irritated. _He's disobeyed my orders!_ _Why-_

"Yeah, he left after I said some… well, some not-so-encouraging words." Falcon distinctly looked ill-at-ease. Iron Man saw him rub the back of his neck in an embarrassing way.

Iron Man narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "What did you say to him that would cause him to run off, Falcon?"

"Well, I told him how horrible it was to have a crush on a completely hopeless heroine and gave him the idea that she might very well be dying by now and calling his name in vain."

"_Falcon!_"

"Well, at the moment I was trying to sympathize with him!"

"You have the same amount of sympathy as a piece of _clay_ Falcon!" Iron Man exclaimed bitterly, before signing off on the intercom. _Not only has Falcon's sympathy got Reptil down- It's also got ME worried. What if she really IS dead? It would be all my fault! And Reptil's ALSO in danger because of me…_

"Iron Man, come on! We've got to find those two crazy kids!" Wolverine exclaimed, his expert nose sniffing the air around him, "I think I've caught her sent- and the kid's sent as well. Hurry, you never know what trouble he's stirred up _now_." Wolverine shook his head, and Iron Man wouldn't be surprised if he muttered, "Kids these days."

* * *

"_You_ did this to Solstice! I'll… I'll…!" In his own rage, Reptil couldn't think of a worthy threat to utter. His arm was still frozen in its awkward position. He still couldn't move. He snarled.

"Kill me?" The slithering voice replied with cold amusement. A girl, almost identical to Solstice though her eyes, hair and size were slightly different, glided out of the shadows. Her eyes gleamed with unknown malice, "Now _that_ I would like to see." Her gaze slide to Solstice, who flinched.

"Now, my dear sister, who is this charming fellow? Is he a _friend, _perhaps?" Athena smiled coldly towards Solstice, noting her expression. She whistled softly, "_Ahh_, so he is a _special _friend. What a pity. Friends never did me any good, as I will recall. Not even _special_ friends. Bores, the lot of them." She gave Reptil a hooded glance, before suddenly pulling her glowing hand down. Reptil cried out, his arm twisting back to its original spot. Solstice wrestled against her bonds, "Athena, Athena _please!_" Reptil moved his arm. He was free!

"What? Don't let him go? Well, only if you don't _want _me to." Athena only too gladly twisted Reptils arm back under her control. Solstice let out a choked little sound, before her body slunk lower in the cage.

"I'm sorry, Reptil." She whispered, her voice holding a note of pleading in it, "I'm sorry I ruined your life. We're all going to die now."

"What? Never!" Reptil fought against his controlled arm, "Good guys _never_ lose, Solstice! WE WIN! Good guys _always win!_" Solstice glanced at Reptil, and was struck by his determined face. A strange emotion pooled in the bottom of her stomach, even though her mind was thinking_ this could never work. _Her eyes softened, and she gave Reptil a hopeless, sorrowful look

"Except against my sister. Nobody wins against her." Athena gave an amused laugh, along with her own agreement.

"She's right, you pathetic piece of garbage. _Nobody_ wins against Athena." Athena twisted Reptil, almost giddy over the sounds he was making. She was having too much _fun_.

Solstice could only watch as Athena began twisting Reptil's arm, causing him to flinch and groan. Something flashed in her eyes for a moment. She wanted Reptil's face to always hold that determined expression she saw earlier- not a defeated one, like hers must have. Reptil was better than that. He deserved better than that. "Except Doom." Solstice spoke up suddenly, not sure where she was going with this. She knew that she just wanted to strike back at Athena for hurting someone so noble.

Athena stopped in the middle of her laugh, and gave an alarmed glance at Solstice, "What did you say?" Her voice was tight and clipped.

"I said you never win against Doom." Solstice repeated her face curiously blank, "Am I right? He seems to have you wrapped quite firmly around his finger."

Athena's face turned thunderous, "Never say that! I am wrapped around _nobody's finger!_"

"Well, only if you say so." Solstice replied, her voice lacking in any emotion, "I was only making an observation." She knew that her emotionless voice would tick off Athena a whole lot more than her words would.

"I can prove that I'm not wrapped around _nobody's_ finger!" Athena exclaimed, even more agitated then before. Her tight grip on Reptil vanished, as she turned to grip Solstice in her rage, "You can believe it!" She spat out, her face dark and dangerous.

Solstice turned towards Athena, her eyes glazed over with her misery. Still, her voice came out perfectly calm and normal, "Whatever you say, Athena." Athena let out another hiss of rage, and turned to stalk out of the room. Her eyes caught onto Reptil standing amidst the shadows, "Maybe _he_ can change your mind, sister dearest." Grabbing the collar of Reptil's shirt, she dragged him around so they were both facing Solstice. Solstice gave a startled glance to the both of them, before worry over coated the filmy look she had.

"What are you doing with him? How can he prove that you're not wrapped around Doom's finger?" This time, her voice shook. Athena looked triumphant in that second.

"_Because_, dearest sister,_ I know_ Doom would never allow me to kill one of the Super-Hero Squad members. He'd rather have them for one of his traps, that ultimately fail no matter how elaborate they are. _If_ I kill this _boy_ it will prove that I am not under _anyone's_ will. _Especially _Doom's!"

"Athena! Athena, that's… that's _monstrous!_ How could you _kill_ another person?"

Athena glanced down at Reptil, her arms wrapping firmly around his neck, "Quite easily, I should think. He's not particularly strong, is he?" She chuckled, "I mean compared to that huge green monster this _boy_ is nothing-"

"_Veloceraptor claws."_

"-What was that? Did you say something?" Then, suddenly in a flash of bright red light, Athena saw the boy's arms transform into some sort of _claws?_ "What the-?" The claws sank into her arm before she had any thought to push him away. "Ahh!" Athena instantly let go of Reptil's neck, and tried to shake off his claws. Crimson blood dripped from her arm, and more poured out as Reptil removed his claws.

"Awwh, that's just nasty." Reptil complained, as he tried to shake off the rest of Athena's blood that coated his now-transformed hand. Athena, herself, was trying to shake off the horrible feeling she had when Reptil had sunk his claws into her. _He… he got me! Nobody… NO ONE has ever… got me before…_ Athena then focused on Reptil, her eyes ablaze.

"_Reptil! Behind you!_" Solstice's cry came just in time. Reptil looked up and saw Athena charging towards him; he reacted within seconds, dodging the deranged girl. Repeatedly Athena charged at him, getting desperate to do more than enough damage to permanently remove his presence from this earthly realm. As she started to wear down from the tirade of emotionally enraged charging, Athena's rational thoughts came to her once again. _Why charge at him to break his bones when I can just break his bones without touching him?_

"What, tiring out _villain?_" Reptil sneered in his arrogant way. He gave Solstice a victorious glance, now moving to free her from her prison. His face screamed _I did it! I won!_

"_Reptil, it's not over yet!_" Expecting to see Athena charging at him once more, Reptil turned around while ducking to the side. Though, he didn't get what he was expecting- Athena standing at him, a couple of feet away, her arm glowing an eerie purple colour. Soon, his arms were starting to bend the wrong way; him unable to stop them.

"_No!_" Solstice revolted around the display shown in front of her, sending as much energy as she could towards Athena to stop her. A beam of pink light struck Athena in her chest, as well as where her fractal was located. Athena stumbled back , the purple glow fading from both her and Reptil.

"Reptil, free me now_ please_!" Solstice pleaded, her eyes never leaving Athena's form. Solstice had shortly disoriented her; hoping that would be enough time for her to be free in order to face her; and for Reptil to leave. It would have been better for everyone if Reptil would leave without freeing her (taking up precious time for him to be gone). Yet, Solstice knew that Reptil would_ never_ leave without freeing her first.

Reptil hurried to do what she instructed; wondering if he would have enough time before Athena recovered to remove them both from the room. Reptil found the switch, in classical Doom fashion, right on the panels beside the large bubble she was contained in. Removing the shackles were simple enough, once the protective bubble was gone. Solstice sagged against him, her shoulders still not set in the right position and her legs wobbling like crazy.

"You have to get out." Solstice said, her eyes pleading, "You need to leave!"

"What, so you can face Athena _yourself?_ Hah! You can't even move your arms! How will you hope to defeat her?" Solstice looked down at herself. She noted that she was glowing slightly pink.

"My fractal will heal me. So worry about yourself," Reptil merely growled, voicing his discontent. Solstice smiled a bitter smile, "Come now, Reptil! The good guys always win, now don't they? Now _you have to_ GET OUT!" Using her fractal power, Solstice slowly; but surely; 'pushed' Reptil out the door._ Probably the last time we will ever see each other._ Solstice felt her eyes tearing. Suddenly, she had an idea, "No wait." Pulling him back towards her, Solstice gave Reptil a kiss; filled with all the things she couldn't say, with all the feeling she had. Pulling back instantly, before things got too far, she whispered, "Goodbye, Reptil." Before Reptil could think to reply to that statement, or her eyes would betray her with tears, Solstice shoved him out the door once more, and down the twisting corridors.

Much like how Athena had controlled him, Solstice was doing the same thing. She was using her own power to cause Reptil's legs to move, although unlike Athena, she didn't make the muscles bend in the way they _weren't_ supposed to go. Solstice also noted, once again, that her body had stopped glowing its slight pink colour. She was healed. Moving her arm, she gasped at the throbbing pain she felt. Her fractal only healed her in the most basic way. Still, she could move, even if it hurt her to do so. It wasn't all that bad, now was it?

Solstice slowly moved to stand a few feet away from her sister. She was seething in the corner, her arm glowing bright as she sealed the sinew and muscle that Reptil had ripped. She looked up to smile her thin, dastardly smile at Solstice.

"Sister dear! You decided to face me after all? How noble of you. I didn't know you had the courage to do something like that. You always were a bit of a cowardly little wimp."

* * *

He couldn't move. He couldn't force his legs to go the opposite way- they still kept walking ever forward, bringing him down corridors that Reptil himself had never been in before. He knew that he was on his way to the Squad, because the carnage that the Squaddies- Hulk in particular- left behind was there. Even the dents in the metal flooring were still there. Still, he didn't even know in what part of Dr. Doom's elaborate mansion he was in. Was he near the door? Was he near Doom's throne room? Where was he?

"_Hulk smash!"_

Sure enough, he could hear Hulk's roars already. _Oh no- That means I'll have to face Iron Man- Dude I'm off the Squad for SURE!_ Reptil tried even harder to force his body to move in the other direction. _Solstice is back there! She needs help! STOP AND TURN AROUND YOU TRAITOROUS BODY‼_

"Verily! Tis Reptil!" Thor was the first one to notice him. Reptil didn't know if that was a good sign or not.

"Red claws!" Both Hulk and Thor clamored over the discarded Doom-Bots in order to reach their teammate. If Reptil hadn't been so worried over Iron Man's reaction to his being here, not to mention the ever-present worry of Solstice fighting her deadly sister, Reptil would have been quite embarrassed by the way he was received- It was as if they knew…

_Falcon!_ Reptil _should_ have known Falcon would pull something like that- The traitor. Of _course_ he would tattle to Iron Man that he had disobeyed. Reptil was swept by the urge to tell Iron Man all of the things Falcon had done behind Iron Man's back- it's what that traitor deserved. Of course, his anger was a petty, selfish thing and Reptil knew that he would not tell Iron Man anything. Still, it was slightly pleasurable to consider giving away all Falcons' secrets. As he saw Iron Man coming towards him, Reptil lifted his hands up in a surrendering position. _Hey! Wait… I can… move now…?_ Reptil stared at his hands, wondering if receiving the ability to move again was a _good thing._ _Solstice, what is happening to you right now?_ He turned around to go running back the way he came, yet Iron Man's stern voice stopped him.

"Reptil! You were _told_ not to leave the HeliCarrier! I gave you specific instructions!" Reptil sighed. The sudden plan he had to run all the way back to save Solstice dissolved in that moment. He knew that Iron Man would only drag him back with one of his fancy gadgets, wasting time and effort that could be used to defeat someone that was obviously more dangerous than Doom.

"Yes, I know you gave me instructions- But really, those are simply guidelines… Instructions are just like rules. They just have to be disregarded in some cases." Reptil tried to smile humourously, yet Iron Man only glowered at him.

"This isn't funny, Reptil. As soon as we collect Solstice-" Iron Man stopped as he saw Reptil's face pale, "What, what is it?" Iron Man asked warily, because he didn't like the look Reptil was giving him.

"It's Solstice," Reptil replied, stricken, "She forced me out the door so she could face Athena herself."

"Athena?"

"Her twisted, totally evil sister._ She's_ the brains behind the Doom."

* * *

Solstice raised her eyebrows to appear more superior. Athena merely laughed at her piteous attempt, "You're terrified of me, sister dear." Athena cooed at her, her smile sensually twisted, "You are shaking in your boots even as we speak. Your mind is cluttering with your terror. You will become an immobilized figure of dread and anxiety. Nothing will be able to stop me from ending this all, here and now."

Solstice stared at her sister, her eyes growing wide and her brows crinkled together. She was right- Solstice wasn't ready for this. She couldn't possibly fight her sister off. She was too strong, too _tough _for Solstice to even begin thinking to fight. Athena would crush her within seconds, especially if her fear over road her.

In addition, Solstice could tell that her fear was growing deeper and darker in her. It was starting to clog her throat, tingle in her limbs and numb her mind. She had to find a way to save her friends, if that was the last thing that she could ever do. If Athena managed to crush her, Solstice hoped with all that she could, that she would at least bring Athena down with her.

Like that would actually happen in real life, however. Athena would live on and on. Reptil was wrong. Bad people won in the end after the hero left. They rose up from the ground and stomped all the things the good person had done. The bad people crushed all the evidence of goodness and made his own stark reality of darkness. It was life; it was reality. Solstice's pathetic life was just going to end now; ended by the bigger, better bad person. It was reality.

Solstice sudden felt increasingly angry at life. Why did her life have to end? _Why_? Solstice knew that she had never tried to harm Athena in anyway. Athena had always been after _her_ in her jealousy. Shouldn't it be Solstice exacting the revenge on her sister? Causing her this pain, this fear, this much emotion? Why should _Solstice _be the hapless protagonist? Couldn't _she_ be the winner antagonist? Besides, who's to say that Athena is not exactly like Solstice? Just another pawn in the reality of life and death; Athena could die as easily as Solstice could.

"You think you're so _amazing,_" Solstice said, her voice scalding, as her anger pooled in her veins and in her words; "You believe that you are just so _great_ with your powers and your strength. But you're _not_. You are a _nothing_, just like me; a person who can be replaced. And there is always going to be someone out there that can replace you. A person who is stronger then you; who is smarter than you, who is _better_ than you in Every. Way. You can't run from it; you can't hide from it. That person will _find you, _no matter where you go or whom you destroy. That person will be forever behind you, waiting for the time to show up and prove Me. Right." Athena's face twisted with her rage; her pain. How dare this person- this _weak nothing_ tell her who she was and what would happen to her? _How dare she tell lies!_

"That is _not true!_" She screamed at Solstice, sending tendrils of magic to sizzle and spark in the air around her, "_You are lying! _There is _no one_ who is stronger than me; no one who is smarter than me! NO ONE WHO IS BETTER THAN ME! _I AM NOT YOU! _I am NOT a nothing; just a mere human who can be replaced. I _am_ better than that. I _am_ smarter than that. I _am_ stronger than that. _I. Am. Irreplaceable._" A stray tendril of Athena's magical rage struck Solstice's shoulder. Solstice jerked back against the force and pain but compared to the other things Athena had done, this pain was nothing. Athena continued her rant, "It is _you_ who is the _nothing_. The replaceable. Why do you think I am about to end your sad, pathetic life? _It is BECAUSE you can be replaced. _Not ME. I am the one to take _your_ place."

Solstice looked calmly at the half-crazy eyes that regarded her with contempt and disgust. She considered her sister thoroughly. Despite how Solstice had been afraid of her sister throughout her whole life, and was no doubt still afraid of her, Solstice could not say that in this moment she felt terrified of her sister. In fact, what Solstice felt for her was a distinct pang of pity. Her own sister was crazy; driven so by her own malicious thoughts and feelings. Now, Solstice knew that in the back of her mind she should be terrified of her sister- She had been only a few seconds before- because her sister was now so unpredictable. Yet, Solstice couldn't seem to drum up that feeling of fear any longer. It had melted from her immediate thoughts as she spewed her pent up words at Athena. Her words of anger had been true, her sister can be replaced; will be replaced; it is the natural way of life. No one could live forever. No one is better than the other. Everyone has his or her own abilities. Everyone has his or her own skills.

Solstice's face stayed level with Athena's, "Is that so, Athena? Then how come I have not been replaced yet?"

If it was possible, Athena's twisted deeper in her rage. She opened and closed her mouth in unspeakable words, her hatred pooling off her and slamming directly into Solstice. Solstice did not even flinch. Suddenly, with an enraged cry, Athena flung herself at her younger sibling, snarling.

Solstice, still in her odd calm mood, had expected her sister to react so violently to her remark- Athena was nothing but violent. So, knowing that her sister probably didn't expect Solstice to do anything, Solstice stepped out of the way of her sister. Athena tumbled past her, clawing at the air where Solstice had just been.

Athena turned around, her eyes murderous, "You sneaky little bitch!" Athena roared, her eyes gleaming with the promise of Solstice's death, "I'm going to drink your blood after I kill you!" She shrieked, coming closer to Solstice, "I'm going to eat your heart, your lungs. Everything! You will be digested in my acids- of course, assuming I leave anything to consume after I kill you. You may just be a charred piece of flesh. But I'd eat that." Athena smiles, her mouth curving up in a twisted, darkly ravenous smile.

Solstice was incredibly disturbed by her sister's plans on what she would do after she killed her. It was one thing to kill her- But Athena was going way past that into the "creep killing". Athena had to be naturally twisted in order to want to _eat_ her after she died. What type of person did that, anyway?

_A really really REALLY messed up person. That describes Athena so well._

"Prepare to be digested, younger sister! At least you know that you will feed someone better than you instead of being a nothing!" Athena thundered, as she clamored to attack Solstice again. Again and again Solstice would dodge Athena's rampaging fury. Athena collided into the walls, the controls and all other objects in the room. She smashed them into bits upon contact, snarling as she ripped away from the object in her bid to get to Solstice and destroy _her_.

Since Solstice was standing in a position that she faced the door to the hallway before her- the one wall that Athena had not demolished in her rage- she was the only one to see as Reptil came roaring to the door way. He stops at the doorframe, his face pale white and drenched with sweat. His sides heave to breathe in needed air, and he stares at Solstice wide-eyed. Her hand rises up, like it was trying to reach him. Yet Solstice knows that she will never be able to reach him again. A mad, crazy psychopath blocked the way. As long as Athena lived, there was no hope.

Athena's bloodlust eyes turned to asses who Solstice was reaching to- Solstice, however, performs something in the spur-of-the-moment, intent only on protecting Reptil; in order to protect him from her sister's crazy, psychotic killing mood. She strikes her sister.

It was a vibrating slap, the sound like the cracking of a whip- It hadn't been Solstice's real hand that did that, more of her "fractal generated hand" that had physically struck her. Athena's face whips back to Solstice, clear bloody murder even more announced in her eyes.

"Solstice!" Reptil cried out, yet it is futile. Athena's attention does not divert away from her quarry. Solstice knew this was her chance; Summoning all that she could- and hoping to high heaven that she could _actually_ do this- Solstice concentrated on Athena. In a flash of pink and white light, Solstice then diverted her mind to the most reclusive, uninhabited place on the entire face of the earth. With a loud _bop!_ Athena disappeared, her face melting to show rage and fear.

Silence. Solstice knew that it will not last.

"Solstice! Solstice, you did it!" Reptil, enthusiastic, came rushing towards her. Her wrapped her in a fierce hug. Solstice enjoys it for as long as she dares, before moving away. She avoided looking at Reptils face, as she opened her mouth.

"I didn't do it at all, Reptil." She whispered to him, moving farther away, "I only temporarily stopped the problem. She'll find me again."

Reptil's face took on a heroic quality, "Then we'll face it together," He said loyally, "Because you are not going to face her yourself. Look at this room! It's _devastated!_ I can't possibly allow you-"

"I have to." Solstice replied softly, as she bent her head and looked at the floor so she doesn't have to see Reptil's face, "I have to leave, Reptil." _I have to do it now, or else all will be lost._ Her body was singing for her to stay- To stay with him. This _was_ the Super Hero Squad, after all. They _would_ protect her… But she couldn't. Athena was her problem, and she had to deal with it. On her own.

"No! No you _don't_ Solstice. You don't have to leave at all. We'll make sure Athena never gets this close to you again. We'll _take care of it."_ His voice was desperate. He can hear the determination, however soft, in her voice. He doesn't want to lose her.

Solstice shook her head, sadly, regretfully, "I can't let you risk your life, Reptil. I have to leave and stop her. She will come back, and she will be angry. It is better if I leave. She is going to track me down. I cannot be here and put you all in danger."

Reptil grabbed her wrists, "Solstice, you can't leave!" He commanded of her, yet she shook her head again. She had to. She will. They both know it. Slowly, she managed to free her wrists from Reptil's grasp. His hands still remained outward, as if they are still holding on to her. His eyes bored into hers, a pleading look. _He's making it so difficult._ She thought to herself.

The time is now. Solstice can hear the muffled steps of the other Sqauddies. They are coming, and if they do, it would be lost. She would stay, she knew it. Reptil and the others would manage to wheedle her into a false sense of security. Yet the truth is all too clear. They cannot protect her from Athena. It is foolhardy to think that they can. They may be Super Heroes, but Athena is something altogether different from a Super Villian.

Solstice looks up at Reptil, her own eyes showing the desperate and plead that his do, "I have to." She told him delicately. Solstice concentrated, and with another _bop!_ She disappeared.

* * *

Reptil stared at the empty space where Solstice had been. It seemed like hours had gone by, yet truly only seconds. The other Squad members rushed into the room, ready for a fierce battle that will not happen.

Iron Man spotted the still, quiet Reptil in the middle of the damaged room, "Reptil, what happened?" He asked the young Squad member. Reptil does not turn around as he replies,

"She left. Without even saying goodbye."

_**And dun dun dun! The pretty much end of this whole… weird… story! It's been really really long since I last updated, and to any of you that have STAYED WITH ME the entire time, I seriously congratulate you on your commitment and dedication. Seriously, give yourselves a hand *clap clap clap* **_

_**Now, I don't think things are really going to end here. I'm most probably going to have an epilogue, whatever, updated later (I've already written some of it, I just need to finialize and stuff) But, in all actuality, this is where I kinda wanted to end up. A poor, short-lived love for Reptil ***__**tears* Poor dude, always getting the short end of the stick. I feel bad for him.**_

_**Though, I've also toyed with the notion of a sequel to this story… or something. Dunno really. It's a possibility, though haven't really thought about it. How 'bout you guys (that actually read this story and feel that I should make a sequel where they get back together) does that sound good? I'll (probably) make it if you guys really want me to! (And if you have ideas for it as well, that would be a bonus!)**_

_***-** _**_Alright, perhaps a little... harsh for Reptil... But I thought, you know, in his rage, he might say something that... well "outrageous" for a SuperHero Squad member. He probably didn't mean it... sorta like swearing, he got so mad he sad "I'll kill them" It was dramatic, alright?_**

**_-Calm-Waters_**


End file.
